TAE 722

Agricultural Pollution and Control

GBENGA ABIODUN JULIUS

NIGERIAN INDUSTRIAL STANDARD

NIS 554: 2007

Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality

ICS 13.060.20
Price group D
SON 2007

Approved By: SON Governing Council

Drinking Water Quality

The substances in Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality are simply divided into physical /
organoleptic, chemical organic and inorganic constituents, disinfectants and disinfectants by-products,
radionuclides and microbiological parameters.
All drinking water shall at any time meet the minimum requirements set out in Table1, Table 2, Table 3, Table
4, Table 5, Table 6 and Table 7. All water sources intended for human consumption shall comply with Nigerian
Standards for Drinking Water Quality and shall receive authorization from Ministry of Health before being
supplied to the population.
Parameters and Maximum Allowable Limits
1. Physical / Organoleptic Parameters
Parameter

Unit

Colour
Odour
Taste
Temperatur
e
Turbidity

TCU
0
Celsius
NTU

Maximum Permitted
Levels
15
Unobjectionable
Unobjectionable
Ambient
5

Health
Impact
None
None
None
None
None

2. Chemical Parameters
a. Inorganic Constituents
Parameter
Unit
Maximum
Permitted
Aluminium
mg/L
0.2
(Al)
Arsenic (As)
mg/L
0.01
Barium
mg/L
0.7
Cadmium (Cd) mg/L
0.003
Chloride (Cl)
mg/L
250
Chromium
mg/L
0.05
(Cr6+)
Conductivity
S/c
1000
m
Copper
mg/L
1
(Cu+2)
Cyanide (CN-) mg/L
0.01
Fluoride (F-)
mg/L
1.5
Hardness (as
mg/L
150
CaCO3)
Hydrogen
mg/L
0.05
Sulphide
(H2S)
Iron (Fe+2)
mg/L
0.3
Lead (Pb)
mg/L
0.01
Magnesium
(Mg+2)
Manganese
(Mn+2)

mg/L

0.20

mg/L

0.2

Health Impact
Potential Neuro-degenerative disorders

Note
s
Note
1

Cancer,
Hypertension
Toxic to the kidney
None
Cancer
None
Gastrointestinal disorder,
Very toxic to the thyroid and the nervous system
Fluorosis, Skeletal tissue (bones and teeth) morbidity
None
None
None
Cancer, interference with Vitamin D metabolism, affect mental
development in infants, toxic to the central and peripheral
nervous systems
Consumer acceptability
Neurological disorder

Mercury (Hg)
Nickel (Ni)
Nitrate (NO3)

mg/L
mg/L
mg/L

0.001
0.02
50

Nitrite (NO2)

mg/L

0.2

Affects the kidney and central nervous system

Possible carcinogenic
Cyanosis, and asphyxia (blue-baby syndrome) in infants
under 3 months syndrome) in infants under 3 months
Cyanosis, and asphyxia (blue-baby syndrome) in infants
under 3 months
None
None
None

pH
6.5-8.5
Sodium (Na)
mg/L
200
Sulphate (SO4 mg/L
100
)
Total
mg/L
500
None
Dissolved
Solids
Zinc (Zn)
mg/L
3
None
*Note 1: Parameter to be monitored only if aluminium chemicals are used for water
b. Organic Constituents
Parameter
Detergents
Mineral oil
Pesticides
Phenols
Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Total Organic Carbon or
Oxidisability

Unit
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L
mg/L

Maximum Permitted
Levels
0.01
0.003
0.01
0.001
0.007
5

Health Impact
Possibly
Possibly
Possibly
Possibly
Possibly
Cancer

Not
e
carcinogenic
carcinogenic
carcinogenic
carcinogenic
carcinogenic

3. Disinfectants and their by-products

Parameter

Unit

Maximum Permitted Levels

Health Impact

Note

Free residual chlorine

mg/L
0.2 - 0.25
None
Note 2
Trihalomethanes Total
mg/L
0.001
Cancer
Note 2
2,4,6-trichlorophenol
mg/L
0.02
Cancer
Note 2
*Note 2: For chlorinated water only Drinking water providers shall increase the amount of residual chlorine during epidemics or
special cases according to instructions of Ministry of Health.

4. Radioactive constituents
Parameter

Unit

Maximum Permitted Levels

Radionuclides

Bq/L

0.1

Health Impact

Notes

Cancer

5. Microbiological Requirements
Parameter

Unit

Maximum Permitted Levels

Total Coliform count

Thermo tolerant Coliform or E.coli

cfu/mL
cfu/100mL

10
0

Faecal streptococcus
Clostridium perfringens spore

cfu/100mL
cfu/100mL

0
0

Notes

Indication of faecal contamination

Urinary tract infections, bacteraemia,
meningitis, diarrhoea, (one of the main
cause of morbidity and mortality among
children), acute renal failure and haemolytic
anaemia
Indication of recent faecal contamination
Index of intermittent faecal contamination

6. Minimum Parameters for Monitoring

Parameters

Health Impact

Notes

Taste
Odour
Colour
Turbidity
pH
Conductivity
Iron
Nitrates
Aluminium
Note 1
Residual chlorine
Note 2
E. coli
Note 3
Fluoride
*Note 1: Parameters subject to monitoring water treated using aluminium compound
*Note 2: Parameters subject to monitoring water treated using chlorine compound
*Note 3: 95% compliance over a one-year period