**4. Conclusion**

The study set out to undertake the physicochemical analysis of water quality from multiple sources in Jalingo Metropolis, Nigeria. In Nigeria today, the use of ground water has become an agent of development because the government is unable to meet the ever increasing demand of water supply.

Water from natural sources is never completely pure. Most of the earth's water sources get their water supplies through precipitation. During precipitation water passes over (runoff) and through the ground (infiltration), acquiring a wide range of dissolved or suspended impurities that intensely alters its usefulness. The physicochemical parameters identified include temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), nitrate (NO3), sulphate (SO4), salinity, fluoride (F) and nitrite (NO2), which were within the permissible standards of WHO. Other parameters examined included pH, turbidity, chloride, hardness, alkalinity and dissolved oxygen, which were either lower or higher values outside the permissible standards of WHO and NSDW.

The study sampled three sources; well, borehole and tap water. The findings revealed that the tastes of water samples from the different sources differ. Tap water was found to be objectionable as compared to well and borehole sources. All the water sources recorded no odor. Physicochemical parameters of Total Dissolved Solids, Turbidity, and fluoride (F¯) recorded significant difference across the

various water sources. All other variables recorded no significant difference across the different water sources in the study area.
