Human activities such as industrial production, mining, agriculture and transportation, release high amounts of heavy metals into surface and ground water, soils and ultimately to the biosphere. In the present study the levels of some selected heavy metals (Mn, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Cd and Pb) in soil and irrigation water sampled from selected Woredas of Gurage Zone (i.e.Meskan, Mareko, Sodo, Muhir and Cheha Woredas), Southern Region, Ethiopia were analyzed. 1 kg from every sample was air-dried, mechanically ground using a stainless steel roller and sieved to obtain 2 mm fraction. A 20–30 g subsample was drawn from the bulk soil (2 mm fraction) and reground to obtain 200 μm fraction using a mortar and pestle. The digestion method optimized for soil sample by FAO- Aqua-regia Digestion method has been used for extraction of heavy metals from the soil samples. Accordingly 0.5 g of dried and homogenized soil sample was taken in to a flask and treated as follows. To each 6 mL of aqua-regia (3:1 ratio of 37 % HCl to (69-72 %) HNO3 respectively) and followed by 1.5 mL of 30 % H2O2 were added. The mixture was digested on a Kjeldahl digestion apparatus with optimized parameters such as temperature and time. The contents of the minerals in the digests were analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). The following concentration ranges (mg/kg) were found in soil: Zn (110.97 - 177.55), Cu (14.6 - 28.4), Mn(740 - 1972), Cr (49.2 - 70.4), Ni (36.6 - 67.6), Pb (2 - 18) and Cd were ND( i.e. Below method detection limit) in all woreda samples. In this study, all heavy metals were not found (below method detection limit) in water samples. The concentration of heavy metals in the soil which was collected from sites in which vegeTable s grown was determined in this study. The range level of Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Pb and Ni found in soil samples were 110.97 - 177.55, 14.60 - 28.40, 740 - 1972, 49.2 - 70.4, 2.000 - 18.00 and 28.8 - 67.6 mg/kg respectively. The soils of the study were found to contain high concentration of Mn followed by Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb. However, Cd was not detected (below detection limit) in soil samples. Levels of heavy metals determined in soils were compared with standard values and found below the tolerance level.