National Norms and Standards relating to Environmental Health

f) Ensuring monitoring of effective waste water treatment, including the collection, treatment and safedisposal of sewage and other waste;g) Advocating for proper and safe water usage and waste water disposal;h) Coordinating programmes aimed at creating the demand for safe water and sanitation through healthand hygiene awareness and education; andi) Risk management through water pollution control.6. NORMS AND STANDARDS FOR HEALTH RELATED WATER QUALITY MONITORINGNORMS1. Water supply to communities must be safe, adequate and accessible.• “Safe”: water that has been tested and does not present any significant risk to health over a lifetime ofconsumption (microbiological, physical and chemical quality).• “Accessibility”: water facilities easy to reach and located in a safe environment and technology that iseasy to use and operate.• “Availability”: total volume of water accessible to a consumer on frequent basis within a period of 24hrs.STANDARDSSECTION 1:ADEQUACY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF WATER SUPPLY1. In terms of the Regulations under section 9 of the Water Services Act (Act 108 of 1997): the minimumstandard for basic water supply service is_a) A minimum quantity of potable water of 25 liters per person per day or 6 kilolitres per householdper month-(i) At a minimum flow rate of not less than 10 liters per minute;(ii) Within 200 meters of a household; and(iii) With effectiveness such that no consumer is without a supply for more than 7 full days in anyyear.2. Water must be available, easy to reach and the technology used should be simple and easy tooperate.SECTION 2:QUALITY OF POTABLE WATERFor lifetime consumption, the microbiological, physical, aesthetic and chemical quality of water providedby Water Services Institutions and Water Services Intermediaries must conform to the requirements asset out in the SANS 241 for drinking water. For the purpose of this document, the standard limit “notdetected” as outlined in SANS 241 shall mean nil or zero.1. Water must be suitable for all domestic uses (drinking, food preparation and personal hygiene).2. Water provided must not only be safe but also acceptable in appearance, taste and odour(aesthetically acceptable water).3. Water must not be harmful to water supply systems and household appliances e.g. geysers, kettlesetc.DOH. Norms and standards for environmental health in South Africa Feb 2013 93