This study assesses the quality of groundwater for drinking and irrigation, and its potential health risk to the populace in an area where illegal artisanal mining is prevalent and known to have polluted streams and rivers, making groundwater their key potable water source. The methods employed involved well-distributed sampling of the groundwater in both wet and dry seasons, determining their physicochemical and bacteriological constituents, and assessing its suitability for domestic and irrigation purposes. Statistical analysis, Piper and Gibb’s diagrams were used to reveal the hydrogeochemical characteristics of groundwater, World Health Organization (WHO) guideline values and Water Quality Index (WQI) was applied to assess its overall suitability for drinking while Magnesium Hazard (MH), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Percent Sodium (% Na) and Permeability Index (PI) were utilized to assess the suitability of the groundwater for irrigation. The results indicate Ca-HCO3 and mixed Ca-Mg-Cl as the prevalent water types in the area in both seasons. The calculated WQI classed 95 % of the water as excellent and good for domestic use in both seasons while the remaining 5 % was classed as very poor due mainly to high arsenic (As) levels. Computed non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of the As through ingestion exposures showed children were more vulnerable to potential cancer risk than adults. On the other hand, the groundwater was generally found to be suitable for irrigation in both seasons. Thus, the study provides useful information for groundwater use and pollution control in the area.