A compendium of drinking water quality standards in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

Abstract

This compendium presents an overview of drinking-water quality standards in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. It aims at promoting the sharing of experience among countries in the adaptation and setting of appropriate drinking-water quality standards. It may also be used in devising local drinking-water quality standards in the short term. Standards of a more permanent nature should, nonetheless, be derived from conducting studies which take into account local prevailing conditions. A survey was conducted to collate as much relevant information as possible from all countries of the Region. In addition, the Centre for Environmental Health Activities (‎CEHA)‎ contacted countries in the Region requesting that respective ministries of health provide national standards and regulations for drinking-water quality standards. Collected standards are summarized in this compendium for Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic and Tunisia. The document shows promulgated standards for drinking-water quality standards as compared with World Health Organization Guidelines for drinking-water quality, THIRD EDITION, Volume 1, 2004.