Water is an essential part of human existence. It is universally utilized for various purposes ranging from drinking to other domestic purposes. The need for access to water has been a significant challenge for governments all over the world. In Nigeria, there is a growing concern about the water shortage in various communities across the country. In a bid to overcome water scarcity, the government providesboreholes in many places. However, the inadequacy of functional public boreholes has led to the proliferation of private boreholes across the country, which the quality is doubtful. The purpose of the present study was to compare the physical and bacteriological compositions of the public and private boreholes in Kogi state, Nigeria. A total of ten water samples were collected from different public and private boreholes in three locations in the state. Standard procedures were followed in analyzing the samples. The analysis revealed the presence of salmonella spp, Escherichia coli, pseudomonas aeruginosa in the private boreholes.