Metal　contaminants　in　drinking　water　pose　a　potential　threat　to　human　health.　Metal　elements　(Fe,　Mn,　Cu,　Cr,　Cd,　As,　and　Pb)　in　Shanzi　Reservoir,　China,　a　drinking　water　source　for　nearby　cities,　were　measured　in　2013　and　2014.　The　distribution　characteristics　of　metal　elements　in　water　were　identified　and　a　health　risk　assessment　model　was　used　to　evaluate　potential　harm.　Principal　component　analysis　and　cluster　analysis　were　used　to　determine　the　main　sources　of　metal　pollutants.　The　results　showed　that　Pb　and　As　exceeded　the　standard　at　some　sampling　sites,　whereas　other　metal　elements　met　the　drinking　water　standards.　The　spatial　distribution　of　metal　elements　was　extremely　uneven　and　might　be　affected　by　either　the　geochemical　environment　or　human　activities　in　the　study　region.　The　total　risk　value　of　metals　(5　×　10–5　a–1)　was　below　the　recommended　value　of　the　United　States　Environmental　Protection　Agency　(USEPA),　the　total　cancer　risk　was　higher　than　the　total　noncancer　risk,　and　both　risks　were　higher　for　children　than　for　adults.　Arsenic　was　the　priority　control　pollutant,　and　the　priority　control　site　was　located　upstream　of　the　reservoir.　Source　analysis　showed　that　Fe,　Mn,　and　Cu　were　mainly　from　soil　formation　and　stone　mining　and　processing　industries;　Pb　and　As　were　mainly　from　agricultural　activities,　free　dumping　and　burning　of　domestic　garbage,　and　atmospheric　deposition　from　transportation　emissions;　Cd　was　mainly　from　agricultural　application　of　fertilizers　and　pesticides;　and　Cr　was　from　the　stone　mining　and　processing　industry　and　from　the　electroplating　and　metal　manufacturing　industries.　Integr　Environ　Assess　Manag　2020;16:342–352.　©　2019　SETAC.　©　2019　SETAC