Laboratory Services
WRA Water Quality

WRA Water Quality & Pollution Control Officer carrying out some tests

WATER RESOURCES LABORATORY SERVICES

WRA Laboratories plays a major role in carrying out various tests on water to ensure that the water used for various applications meet prescribed guidelines. In this regard, the labs analyses water for domestic, irrigation, construction, research and wastewater (Effluent) to ensure that it is within the regulatory requirement. The Constitution of Kenya 2010 establishes the right to safe and clean water for every citizen. The central water testing laboratory uses the state of the art equipment, to perform more than 40 different tests on a variety of water samples.

What is Authority’s mandate in protection of water resources?

To regulate and protect water resources quality from adverse impacts

What services are offered in the Laboratory?

  • Full chemical analysis
  • Analysis of Wastewater (effluent )
  • Bacteriological analysis

Specified parameters for chemicals for water supply  treatment works

Microbiological Water Analysis

Microbiological Water Analysis

Cost of our laboratory services

Full Chemical Analysis

The full Chemical Analysis costs Kenya Shillings Five Thousand (Ksh. 5,000.00)

Where are the laboratories located?

WRA operates ten (10) laboratories across the country, covering the six regions and the Central Lab in Nairobi.

WRA Catchment Area Laboratory
NairobiNairobi
Lake Victoria North Basin Area  (LVNBA)Kakamega
Lake Victoria South Basin Area (LVSBA)Kisumu
Rift Valley Basin Area (RVBA)

Nakuru

Naivasha

Athi Basin Area (ABA)Machakos
Tana Basin Area (TBA)

Embu

Muranga

Kerugoya

ENNCANyeri

Who are the Laboratory Customers

  1. Water users
  2. Industries
  3. Water service providers
  4. Government agencies
  5. Institutions of higher learning
  6. Researchers

What are the guidelines for Drinking Water Standards?

PARAMETER

 

UNIT

W.H.O GUIDELINES

ph

-log[H+]

pH Scale   6.5 – 8.5

Colour

mg/pt/l

            < 15

           Turbidity

         N. T. U.

         <5

Dissolved Oxygen (O2)

       mg/l        

             > 4

   Total Hardness

        mgCaCO3/l  

         < 500

Total Alkalinity

         mgCaCO3/l       

            < 500

Fluoride (F)

            mg/l      

            < 1.5

Total Dissolved Solids

mg/l

            < 1500

Chloride 

mg/l

            < 250

Sodium

mg/l

            < 200

Zinc

mg/l

            < 5

Sulphates

mg/l

            < 400

Iron (Fe)

mg/l

            < 0.3

Manganese (Mn)

mg/l

          < 0.1

Nitrate

mg/l

            < 10

Lead (Pb)

mg/l

             < 0.05

Mercury (Hg) 

mg/l

            < 0.01

Cyanide (CN)

mg/l

            < 0.01

Total Coliforms

No/100 ml

            < 10

                   Feacal Coliforms

        No/100 ml

             Nil

                   Nitrite

               mg/l

             <0.1

What are the EFFLUENT DISCHARGE STANDARDS?

PARAMETER  SURFACE WATER   PUBLIC SEWER    PUBLIC MARINE                

pH

6.0 -9.0

6.0 – 9.0

6.0 – 9.0

BOD ( mgO2/l)

30

350

150

COD ( mgO2/l)

50

1000

250

Suspended solids (mg/l)

30

400

–

Detergents (mg/l)

–

<30

                 –

Cyanide(mg/l)

<0.2

<0.5

<0.2

Mercury(mg/l)

<0.01

<0.01

<0.01

Chromium(mg/l)

<0.01

<0.01

<0.01

Lead(mg/l)

<0.1

<1.0

<1.0

PCB’s (mg/l)

<0.003

–

–

Pesticides

Absent

Absent

Absent

Oil and grease

Absent

Absent

Absent

Colour

Not objectionable

 

 

Laboratory services achievements

  • Establishment and operationalization of 7 labs nationally
  • Establishment of 3No. satellite Labs in Muranga, Kerugoya and Naivasha
  • Capacity building of staff through trilateral among GIZ, WRA and Israel Government
  • Upgrading of equipment for Isotope analysis

Why you need our services

  • Improved Water Resources Information Knowledge base
  • Public Health and Safety
  • Protection of water resources quality from adverse impact

For more information contact

Assistant Technical Coordination Manager (ATCM) Central Water Testing Laboratories

Industrial Area – Off Dunga Road

Tel: 0773903729

Email: cwtl@wra.go.ke