WRA Water Quality & Pollution Control Officer carrying out some tests
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
Cost of our laboratory services
- Full Chemical Analysis
- Partial Waste Water Analysis (Effluent)
- Bacteriological analysis
- Specified parameters for chemicals for water supply treatment works
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 |
| Nairobi | Nairobi |
| 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 |
| ENNCA | Nyeri |
Who are the Laboratory Customers
- Water users
- Industries
- Water service providers
- Government agencies
- Institutions of higher learning
- 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 |
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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