A comparison chart of USEPA and WHO drinking water standards for the parameters used in this study (USEPA 2010; WHO 2011)
| Optimal drinking water standards . | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chemical parameter | EPA (mg/L) | WHO (mg/L) |
| Nitrate (NO3) | 0.01–3.0 | 0.01–5.0 |
| Phosphate (PO4) | <0.1 | 0.1 |
| Physical parameter | EPA (mg/L) | WHO (mg/L) |
| pH | 6.5–8.5 | 6.5–8.0 |
| DO | 4.0–9.0 | 6.0–8.0 |
| Turbidity (NTU) | <52 | 5 |
| BOD | <1 | <1 |
| Temperature | None | None |
| Total suspended solids | <30 | None |
| Microbiological parameter | EPA (cfu/100 mL) | WHO (cfu/100 mL) |
| Escherichia coli count | <1 | <1 |
| Optimal drinking water standards . | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chemical parameter | EPA (mg/L) | WHO (mg/L) |
| Nitrate (NO3) | 0.01–3.0 | 0.01–5.0 |
| Phosphate (PO4) | <0.1 | 0.1 |
| Physical parameter | EPA (mg/L) | WHO (mg/L) |
| pH | 6.5–8.5 | 6.5–8.0 |
| DO | 4.0–9.0 | 6.0–8.0 |
| Turbidity (NTU) | <52 | 5 |
| BOD | <1 | <1 |
| Temperature | None | None |
| Total suspended solids | <30 | None |
| Microbiological parameter | EPA (cfu/100 mL) | WHO (cfu/100 mL) |
| Escherichia coli count | <1 | <1 |