Reservoirs, distinctive water bodies, serve as vital water sources for irrigation, electricity generation, and aquaculture. In this study, 31 water samples from 16 reservoirs in Northern Anhui Province’s Jiagou region were collected to reveal their pollution status, health risks, and sources. The decreasing order of the heavy metal concentrations is as follows: Mn > Cr > Ni > As > Zn > Cu > Mo > Co. The heavy metal pollution index values of all the samples are below 100, indicating the reservoirs’ water quality is within acceptable standards. The Nemerow comprehensive pollution indicates that M4 and M17 are classified as slightly polluted categories, while the remaining points belong to the non-polluted categories. The USEPA health risk assessment indicates that Cr is higher than the maximum acceptable risk levels recommended by certain agencies; the reservoirs’ samples are not suitable as drinking water resources. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis both suggest that the sources of Co, Ni, Cu, and Cr may be attributed to human activities involving pesticides and fertilizers. Mo, As, and Zn may originate from coal combustion, while Mn may be derived from pesticide use. These findings offer valuable insights for environmental policymakers and inform decision-making for ecological protection.