**3. Results and discussion**

This section presents the results of the analysis of the data collected during the field survey carried out, and the interpretation and discussion of the results. The variables analyzed in the study include the physicochemical properties of the drinking water, comparison of physical and chemical characteristics of drinking water in Jalingo side-by-side WHO standard quality of drinking water in developing countries and the relationship between water sources and the physicochemical characteristics of water in Jaingo Metropolis. In all, the study examined twenty (20) physicochemical parameters of water.

#### **3.1 Temperature**

The temperature of water samples from all sites during the dry season range from 26.7°C – 33.1°C as shown in **Table 2** with mean value range of 28.3°C to 31.8°C as shown in **Table 3** and the values of temperature recorded during the rainy season ranged from 21.2°C to 28.5°C as shown in **Table 4** with mean value of 22.35 to 27.37°C as shown in **Table 5**. The high temperature values obtained from sites BR3 (33.1°C), MD3 (32.4°C) and SA3 (32.2°C) during the dry season were higher than the values of 25.87 to 27.56°C reported by Ikhuoriah and Oronsaye [19] from water samples collected from river source. The temperature values obtained from this study are within the WHO permissible limit of 40°C.

#### **3.2 pH**

pH is one of the important water quality parameters. Measurement of pH relates to the acidity or alkalinity of the water. A sample is said to be acidic if the pH is below 7.0 and it is said to be alkaline if the pH is higher than 7.0. Acidic water can


#### **Table 2.**

*Physicochemical properties of water in Jalingo Metropolis during dry season.*

lead to corrosion of metal pipes and plumbing system as well as harmful to human life.

The pH values from this range from (6.5–8.9) as shown in **Table 2** with mean value of 7.5 0.85–8.9 0.06 shown in **Table 3** during the dry season and values of 5.2–6.7 as shown in **Table 4** with mean value of 5.93 0.67–6.6 0.1 as shown in **Table 5** during the rainy season.

The highest pH value recorded during the rainy season was 6.7 which were higher than the range of 5.76 to 6.01 reported by Ikhouriah and Oronsaye [19] in Ossiomoo river ologbo - a tributary of Benin River, Southern Nigeria.

The pH values reported in this study is also higher than the range of 5.96–5.54 reported by Ohinedu, Nwinyi, Oluwadamisi and Eze [20] is assessing the water quality in cananland, Ota, Southwest Nigeria.


