water limits

 
EU Drinking Water Directives - S.I. No 439 of 2000

Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) adopted 3 Nov 1998 for use from 25 Dec 2003.

Organoleptic Parameters units PV Remarks Type

38 Odour dilution * acceptable to the consumer indic

33 Colour mg/l Pt-Co * and no abnormal change* indic

46 Turbidity NTU          * (Taste - no recommendations) indic

Physico-Chem Parameters units PV Remarks Type

Total Hardness mg/l Ca no ref no recommendations n/a

Total Alkalinity mg/l HCO3 no ref no recommendations n/a

TDS mg/l solids no ref no recommendations n/a

Temperature     ˚C no ref no recommendations n/a

35 Hydrogen Ion            pH units 6.5 - 9.5    water avg. pH 6.5 - 8.0 indic

34 Conductivity µS/cm-1 2500 measured at @ 20˚ indic

41 Sodium                     mg/l Na 200 appox RDA 2,500mg indic

31 Chlorides mg/l Cl 250 35,000 mg/l  in sea water indic

29 Aluminium                 µg/l Al 200 Alzheimers / kidney disorders indic

Undesirable in Excess units PV Remarks Type

30 Ammonium mg/l NH4 0.5/0.3 0.5 (98/83/EC)  0.3 (indicator) indic

36 Iron µg/l Fe              200 nuisance parameter in excess indic

37 Manganese               µg/l Mn 50 nuisance parameter in excess indic

20 Nitrates mg/l NO3 50 = 11.3 mg/l N chem

21 Nitrites                      mg/l NO2 0.5 = 0.03 mg/l N chem

12 Copper                      mg/l Cu 2 low toxicity in excess chem

Toxic Parameters units PV Remarks Type

5 Arsenic                     µg/l As 10 highly toxic, oft. carcinogenic chem

10 Cadmium                  µg/l Cd 5 v. highly toxic, bones, kidneys chem

11 Chromium                 µg/l Cr 50 toxic in excess chem

17 Lead                         µg/l Pb 25 cumulative toxic poison chem

19 Nickel µg/l Ni 20 limited toxic concerns chem

27 Trihalomethanes - tot µg/l 100 multi compound carcinogens chem

Micro-bio Parameters units PV Remarks

Total Bacteria no/100ml 0 gross contamination 10+

For further details of the EU Drinking Water Directives see :  EU.com

Public Analysts (chem testing lab) : 091 544002 - Pathology (bacterial testing lab) : 091 544404 at the UCHG.  Full chemical tests cost from 45 to 100 euros, bacterial tests from 30 euros.