EU's drinking water standards

 

Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intented for human consumption. Adopted by the Council, on 3 November 1998

 

Chemical parameters

 

Parameter 
 Symbol/formula  Parametric value (mg/l) 
Acrylamide
C3H5NO 
0.0001 
Antimony
Sb 
0.005 
Arsenic
As 
0.01 
Benzene 
C6H6
0.001 
Benzo(a)pyrene 
C20H12
0.00001 
Boron
B 
0.001 
Bromate
Br 
0.01 
Cadmium
Cd 
0.005 
Chromium
Cr 
0.05 
Copper 
Cu 
2.0 
Cyanide 
CN =
0.05 
1,2-dichloroethane 
Cl CH2 CH2 Cl 
0.003 
Epichlorohydrin 
C3H5OCl 
0.0001 
Fluoride
F 
1.5 
Lead
Pb 
0.01 
Mercury
Hg 
0.001 
Nickel
Ni 
0.02 
Nitrate
NO3
50 
Nitrite
NO2
0.50 
Pesticides 
  
0.0001 
Pesticides - Total 
  
0.0005 
PAHs 
C2 H3 N1 O5 P1 3
0.0001 
Selenium
Se 
0.01 
Tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene 
C2Cl4/C2HCl3
0.01 
Trihalomethanes - Total 
  
0.1 
Vinyl chloride 
C2H3Cl 
0.0005 

 

Indicator parameters

 

Parameter 
Symbol / formula 
Parametric value 
Aluminium
Al 
0.2 mg/l 
Ammonium 
NH4
0.50 mg/l 
Chloride
Cl 
250 mg/l 
Clostridium perfringens (including spores) 
  
0/100 ml 
Colour 
  
Acceptable to consumers and no abnormal change 
Conductivity 
  
2500 ?S/cm @ 20oC 
Hydrogen ion concentration 
[H+] 
? 6.5 and ? 9.5
Iron
Fe 
0.2 mg/l 
Manganese
Mn 
0.05 mg/l 
Odour 
  
Acceptable to consumers and no abnormal change 
Oxidisability 
  
5.0 mg/l O2 
Sulphate
SO4
250 mg/l 
Sodium
Na 
200 mg/l 
Taste 
  
Acceptable to consumers and no abnormal change 
Colony count 22o
  
No abnormal change 
Coliform bacteria 
  
0/100 ml 
Total organic carbon (TOC) 
  
No abnormal change 
Turbidity
  
Acceptable to consumers and no abnormal change 
Tritium 
H3
100 Bq/l 
Total indicative dose 
  
0.10 mSv/year 

 

Microbiological parameters

 

Parameter 
 Parametric value 
Escherichia coli (E. coli) 
0 in 250 ml 
Enterococci 
0 in 250 ml 
Pseudomonas aeruginosa 
0 in 250 ml 
Colony count 22oC 
100/ml 
Colony count 37oC 
20/ml