Drinking water standard parameters and its ideal values.

The standard parameters for drinking water quality are typically defined by regulatory bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the European Union (EU). These parameters include physical, chemical, biological, and radiological aspects. Here are some key parameters and their standard values:

Physical Parameters

1. Turbidity: Should be less than 1 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units).
2. Color: Should be less than 15 TCU (True Color Units).
3. Taste and Odor: Should be acceptable to consumers and not offensive.
4. Temperature: Should be suitable for drinking, typically less than 25°C.

Chemical Parameters

1. pH: Should be between 6.5 and 8.5.
2. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS): Should be less than 500 mg/L.
3. Hardness: Should be less than 200 mg/L as CaCO₃.
4. Nitrate (NO₃⁻): Should be less than 50 mg/L.
5. Nitrite (NO₂⁻): Should be less than 0.1 mg/L.
6. Chloride (Cl⁻): Should be less than 250 mg/L.
7. Fluoride (F⁻): Should be less than 1.5 mg/L.
8. Sulfate (SO₄²⁻): Should be less than 250 mg/L.
9. Lead (Pb): Should be less than 0.01 mg/L.
10. Arsenic (As): Should be less than 0.01 mg/L.
11. Iron (Fe): Should be less than 0.3 mg/L.
12. Manganese (Mn): Should be less than 0.1 mg/L.

Biological Parameters

1. Total Coliforms: Should be 0 per 100 mL.
2. E. coli: Should be 0 per 100 mL.
3. Pathogenic Bacteria: Should be absent.

Radiological Parameters

1. Radon: Should be less than 100 Bq/L.
2. Total Alpha Activity: Should be less than 0.5 Bq/L.
3. Total Beta Activity: Should be less than 1.0 Bq/L.

Other Parameters

1. Alkalinity: Should be between 30 and 400 mg/L as CaCO₃.
2. Aluminum (Al): Should be less than 0.2 mg/L.
3. Copper (Cu): Should be less than 2.0 mg/L.
4. Zinc (Zn): Should be less than 3.0 mg/L.
5. Mercury (Hg): Should be less than 0.001 mg/L.
6. Cyanide (CN⁻): Should be less than 0.07 mg/L.
7. Pesticides: Individual pesticide levels should be less than 0.1 µg/L, and total pesticides should be less than 0.5 µg/L.

These values may vary slightly depending on the guidelines of different regulatory bodies, but they provide a good reference for assessing drinking water quality