The complete list of determinands and numerical limits published in SANS 241:2015 across Table 1 (microbiological) and Table 2 (chemical). Compliance is measured at the point of consumption — SANS 241:2015 Section 5.6.2.
SANS 241-1:2015 · Drinking water Part 1 · SABS · edition 2
Acute-health class unless otherwise stated. Sampled at the point of consumption.
| Determinand | Unit | Numerical limit | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escherichia coli | count / 100 mL | Not detected | Acute health |
| Faecal coliforms (alternative) | count / 100 mL | Not detected | Acute health |
| Total coliforms | count / 100 mL | ≤ 10 | Operational |
| Heterotrophic plate count | count / mL | ≤ 1 000 | Operational |
| Somatic coliphages | count / 10 mL | Not detected | Acute health |
| Cryptosporidium spp. | count / 10 L | Not detected | Acute health |
| Giardia spp. | count / 10 L | Not detected | Acute health |
| Enteric viruses | count / 10 L | Not detected | Acute health |
| Determinand | Unit | Numerical limit | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour | mg/L Pt-Co | ≤ 15 | Aesthetic |
| Conductivity at 25 °C | mS/m | ≤ 170 | Aesthetic |
| Total dissolved solids (TDS) | mg/L | ≤ 1 200 | Aesthetic |
| Turbidity (operational) | NTU | ≤ 1 | Operational |
| Turbidity (aesthetic) | NTU | ≤ 5 | Aesthetic |
| pH at 25 °C | pH units | ≥ 5.0 to ≤ 9.7 | Operational |
| Taste | — | No objectionable | Aesthetic |
| Odour | — | No objectionable | Aesthetic |
| Determinand | Unit | Numerical limit | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate as N | mg/L | ≤ 11 | Acute health |
| Nitrite as N | mg/L | ≤ 0.9 | Acute health |
| Sulphate as SO₄²⁻ (acute) | mg/L | ≤ 500 | Acute health |
| Sulphate as SO₄²⁻ (aesthetic) | mg/L | ≤ 250 | Aesthetic |
| Fluoride | mg/L | ≤ 1.5 | Chronic health |
| Ammonia as N | mg/L | ≤ 1.5 | Aesthetic |
| Chloride | mg/L | ≤ 300 | Aesthetic |
| Sodium | mg/L | ≤ 200 | Aesthetic |
| Zinc | mg/L | ≤ 5 | Aesthetic |
| Iron (chronic) | µg/L | ≤ 2 000 | Chronic health |
| Iron (aesthetic) | µg/L | ≤ 300 | Aesthetic |
| Manganese (chronic) | µg/L | ≤ 400 | Chronic health |
| Manganese (aesthetic) | µg/L | ≤ 100 | Aesthetic |
| Free chlorine | mg/L | ≤ 5 | Chronic health |
| Monochloramine | mg/L | ≤ 3 | Chronic health |
All chronic-health class unless otherwise stated.
| Determinand | Unit | Numerical limit | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antimony | µg/L | ≤ 20 | Chronic health |
| Arsenic | µg/L | ≤ 10 | Chronic health |
| Barium | µg/L | ≤ 700 | Chronic health |
| Boron | µg/L | ≤ 2 400 | Chronic health |
| Cadmium | µg/L | ≤ 3 | Chronic health |
| Chromium (total) | µg/L | ≤ 50 | Chronic health |
| Copper | µg/L | ≤ 2 000 | Chronic health |
| Cyanide (free) | µg/L | ≤ 200 | Acute health |
| Lead | µg/L | ≤ 10 | Chronic health |
| Mercury | µg/L | ≤ 6 | Chronic health |
| Nickel | µg/L | ≤ 70 | Chronic health |
| Selenium | µg/L | ≤ 40 | Chronic health |
| Uranium | µg/L | ≤ 30 | Chronic health |
| Vanadium | µg/L | ≤ 200 | Chronic health |
| Aluminium | µg/L | ≤ 300 | Operational |
| Determinand | Unit | Numerical limit | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total organic carbon (TOC) | mg/L | ≤ 10 | Chronic health |
| Trihalomethanes (total) | sum of ratios | ≤ 1 | Chronic health |
| Chloroform (component) | µg/L | ≤ 300 | Chronic health |
| Bromoform (component) | µg/L | ≤ 100 | Chronic health |
| Dibromochloromethane (component) | µg/L | ≤ 100 | Chronic health |
| Bromodichloromethane (component) | µg/L | ≤ 60 | Chronic health |
| Chlorophenols (per compound) | µg/L | ≤ 1 | Aesthetic |
| Microcystin-LR | µg/L | ≤ 1 | Chronic health |
| Determinand | Unit | Numerical limit | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross alpha activity | Bq/L | ≤ 0.5 | Chronic health |
| Gross beta activity | Bq/L | ≤ 1.0 | Chronic health |
Numerical values reproduced for reference. In every audit, sampling or compliance report the primary source (SANS 241:2015 as published by SABS) is the authoritative record. Determinands not tabulated here that appear on a specific site's water-quality risk assessment default to the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality (SANS 241:2015 Section 4).