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Production: Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation KAHRAMAA
KAHRAMAA Publications 2014
Overview on:
KAHRAMAA Drinking Water Quality Requirements
5 Overview on: KAHRAMAA Drinking Water Quality Requirements
Introduction
KAHRAMAA (The Qatar General Water and Electricity Corporation) is responsible by the decree Law
No. 45 / 2009 for the drinking water supply in Qatar. Drinking water is produced by desalinating sea-
water and groundwater. There are mainly seven thermal seawater desalination plants, six of these
plants use thermal Multi-Stage-Flash (MSF) and one uses Multi Effect distillation (MED) process and
all together have production capacity of around 325 Million gallons per day (Table 1). The water is
distributed to a population of approximately 1.8 million and it covers all the area of the State of Qatar
that constitutes around 7,180 Km2. More than 99.6% of the water is supplied by KAHRAMAA distribu-
tion network and the rest (0.4%) is supplied by water tankers. There are three Reverse Osmosis (RO)
desalination plants, two with small capacity of <1000 cubic meters per day and are used to desalinate
brackish water wells and one a seawater plant with a capacity of 35,000 cubic meters per day (still
under commissioning stage). KAHRAMAA desalination strategy for future involve expanding the use
of RO technology as feasible.
KAHRAMAA, policy and strategy dictate that water quality should not only be safe to drink but also to
be reliable and sustainable and of high aesthetic quality. Accordingly KAHRAMAA developed its own
Drinking Water Quality Requirements & Conditions, providing an authoritative reference to the water
supply industry on what defines safe, good aesthetic quality water and how it can be achieved,
controlled and be assured. The requirements are part of a framework for good management of
drinking water supplies from source until customer tap. The requirements address both the health and
aesthetic aspects of supplying good drinking water quality.
KAHRAMAA continuously update its water quality requirements and conditions for better man-
agement of drinking water quality in Qatar. The overall objective for the update takes into
account:
1. Advances that are being made internationally in the management of drinking water quality (in
particular the risk-based approach to water quality management)
2. The local conditions that are unique to Qatar, including environmental, legal and economical
conditions.
This document provide an overview on Drinking Water Quality Requirement to ensure the water sup-
ply system performance in Qatar and it summarizes the following:
1. Maximum permitted levels of water quality parameters in distribution system & until customer
connection point notably the standards and monitoring requirements.
2. Maximum permitted levels of water quality parameters as indicated in Theupdated draft Version
of the GSO standard No. 149/2009 for Un-bottled Drinking Water published on web 2012.
3. Criteria used by KAHRAMAA in setting its annual plans for monitoring water quality in distribu-
tion system (from desalination plants until customer connection point).
4. Minimum Water Quality testing requirements for water Tankers.
5. Maximum permitted levels of water quality parameters & monitoring requirements set by KAH-
RAMAA for water producers.
6. Analytical test methods recommended for use.
7. Basis for setting parameters maximum limits and the occurrence of these parameters in GCC am-
bient environment.
These water quality, monitoring and analytical requirements, standards and procedures have been
developed based on Qatars present water supply system infrastructure and characteristics, and is
periodically reviewed by KAHRAMAA or when new developments occur such as changes to treatment
or distribution systems or the emergence of new water quality hazards or scientific knowledge.
This booklet notably covers only the testing& monitoring requirements and standard levels and consti-
tute only a part of KAHRAMAA water quality requirements & conditions where additional documents
are set based on risk analyses to control any activity that may impact water quality.
Table 2. list the water quality parameters and their permitted level as been developed by KAHRAMAA.
There are also statements of justification and guidelines for interpretation of these requirements/stan-
dards level. The GSO parameters and their standard values have been included for comparative pur-
poses and where they are applicable for water at customer tap and used by official surveillance body
(Supreme Council of Health) for ensuring drinking water quality.
The water quality parameters listed and the standards levels have been developed based on review
of the existing water quality standards in Qatar (GSO, 2009 and its update), the WHO (2011) drinking
water guidelines, the WHO (2009) guidelines for desalination, other international drinking water quality
standards and guidelines (including those for the United States/EPA, Australia, and other Gulf nations).
In addition, the results of a comprehensive water quality risk assessment completed for the Qatar water
supply system (GHD, 2009) were used.
For most water quality parameters, two requirements are set by KAHRAMAA :
1. Water quality Requirements at Treatment Outlet : these are the water quality targets for wa-
ter at the point at which it leaves the water treatment plant. (These requirements are part of water
quality management requirements set by KAHRAMAA for water producers to adhere with, such as
water safety plan implementation, intake water monitoring and etc.,)
2. Water Quality Requirements at Entry Point-to-Property : these are the water quality targets in
distribution system until the entry points of KAHRAMAAs water supply system to properties.
Taste and - Free from any Acceptable D Acceptable Basis for limit: water should be palatable and
material that
odor
impact taste,
acceptable with respect to taste and odor.
odor
Occurrence: Generally immediately after treat-
ment desalinated water does not have taste and
odor, although with a very low concentration of
salts it can have a flat and unpleasant taste. It is
possible for taste and odor to originate from nat-
ural inorganic and organic or biological sourc-
es or processes (e.g., aquatic microorganisms
such as algal blooms), from contamination (e.g.
by petroleum hydrocarbons or synthetic chem-
icals), from corrosion or as a result of water
treatment (e.g., chlorination). Taste and odor
may also develop during storage and distribu-
tion due to microbial activity.
The potential for taste and odor is highest for
compounds that may carry over in a thermal
desalination process, and that are not com-
pletely vented as part of the distillation process.
Monoaromatic hydrocarbons such as ethyl
benzene are of potential concern, as is geos-
min (associated with algae) which has an odor
threshold measured in ng/L.
Table 3. is a list of organic pollutants with their maximum permitted level as indicated in the GSO
standard No. 149/2009 for Un-Bottled Drinking Water (Under update). These levels are adopted from
the Fourth Edition of WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, 2011. KAHRAMAA adopt this list of
requirements for water at delivery point and at customer connection points. Table 3. Also List chemical
compounds with their maximum permitted limits and which are not listed in the GSO Standard or WHO
Guidelines for drinking Water Quality and adopted by KAHRAMAA as Guidance levels.
There is no requirement for routine monitoring for these compounds, listed in table 3 & 4. However
in any case water is suspected of having any of these compounds; the Water Producer shall analyse
water to ensure compliance.
Table 5 and 6 summaries the water quality-monitoring plan that has been developed by the Water
Quality Lab/HSEd KAHRAMAA for implementation along with the recommended locations and fre-
quency of sampling and analysis. The guidance provided by WHO (2011), table 7 & 8 for sampling
and analyses are generally considered; however, desalinated seawater in the high water temperature
environment of Qatar has particular aspects that require a different approach in some areas.
For monitoring water quality at the points of supply to the customer property, KAHRAMAA categoriz-
es sampling based on a water quality zones, where systems are divided into discrete zones for the
purposes of monitoring and reporting. The Zones are divided mainly in relation to their supply source
and notably to a particular reservoir. The sampling also take into consideration the following; extent of
population served by each reservoir, critical location of importance, critical parameters of importance,
reservoirs/network design and retention times, network age and type, water quality complaint areas
beside any others that are applicable to certain locations and cases.
Table 9 &10 Also summaries the water quality analysis methods that are used by KAHRAMAA. These
are validated by comparative testing with other laboratories, and it confirm that the limit of detection is
in the range that will allow confirmation that the analyte is not at concentrations that exceed the stan-
dard.
The methods of analysis particularly pertain to the analysis of treated water of low salinity and low in-
put of the analytes (such as metals), monitoring of the treated water should form a primary check that
substances are not present at levels of potential concern.
For microbiological samples representative of the quality of water supplied to consumers, per-
formance can be regarded as satisfactory if monthly: at least the minimum number of routine
samples has been tested for Total coliform (or thermotolerant coliforms), and at least 99% of
scheduled samples (as distinct from repeat or special purpose samples such as complaint, new
projects and etc., ) contain no coliforms.
For physical characteristics, notably turbidity performance can be regarded as satisfactory if
98% of the samples tested monthly were in compliance with requirements of <4 NTU.
For chemical and radiological parameters: for all chemical characteristics, performance can be
regarded as satisfactory if 99% of individual results lie within the water quality requirement level.
For disinfectant level in distribution system, an operational performance parameter, 99% of in-
dividual samples to comply with required level set by KAHRAMAA.
Certain parameters of no health significance such as EC TDS, alkalinity, hardness anfd which are not
part of GSO standards can be waived from compliance upon approval of top management and were
a definite plan and minimum maximum limits has been set during the exemption period and until their
compliance.
The proposed frequency of monitoring has the objective of establishing at the outset whether certain
Results from routine operational and drinking water quality monitoring are evaluated monthly and
annually. Results are documented appropriately and a system of regular reporting of results to relevant
staff, departments and external stakeholders such as Supreme Council of Health is implemented.
KAHRAMAA control over water quality extend to all activities that may impact its quality, this include:
water supply operation; reservoirs design and retention time and disinfection management,
KAHRAMAA has set rules & conditions controlling all the above activities to ensure performance for
better quality and public health. The conditions set are part of a water safety plan that the private pro-
ducers have to set and adhere to it in accordance to the contractual agreements signed between them
& KAHRAMAA. KAHRAMAA in turn also adhere in its routine activities to all these conditions and rules
and continuously update these rules relevant to experience, new data or information related to water
quality.
** Fixed hydrants to be collected within 3 months period (4 times a year). Hence; on monthly base; only the assigned portion
of the fixed hydrants are montored.
mg/L using the colorimetric method following reduction of nitrate to nitrite using a 0.01
)cadmium column (NHMRC 2004
Nitrite* as NO2 See Nitrate
PAHs g/litre by GC/MS and reverse-phase HPLC with a fluorescence detector (WHO 0.01
)2011
ng/L using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry or 50 ng/L using liquid chro 100
)matography with spectrofluorometric detection (NHMRC 2004
Petroleum Hydrocar- )Refer to Standard Methods (APHA 2005
bons
)THMs (general g/litre (method detection limits) by purge-and-trap and liquidliquid extraction 0.20.1
and direct aqueous injection in combination with a chromatographic system; 0.1 g/litre
)by GC with ECD; 2.2 g/ litre by GC/MS (WHO 2011
)ng/L using gas chromatography with electron capture detection (NHMRC 2004 20
TOC )Refer to Standard Methods (APHA 2005
Xylene )g/litre by GC/MS; 1 g/litre by GC with FID (WHO 2011 0.1
)mg/L using gas chromatography with photoionization detection (NHMRC 2004 0.001
*E. coli
#
)Refer to Standard Methods (APHA 2005
#
*Total Coliforms )Refer to Standard Methods (APHA 2005
Radionuclides: (Total Coprecipitation (suitable for higher TDS water). Refer to Standard Methods (APHA
activity of alpha and .)2005) and NHMRC (2004: Section 10.4
)beta rays
indicates that KAHRAMAA already test for these parameters. #
Note that KAHRAMAA currently use IDEXX *
.Colilert for these analyses
NB: AAS Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, AES Atomic Emission Spectrometry, EAAS Electrothermal
Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, ECD Electron Capture Detector, FAAS Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrom-
etry, GC Gas Chromatography, HPLC High Performance Liquid Chromatography, ICP Inductively Coupled
.)Plasma, MS Mass Spectrometry. For other parameters, refer to Standard Methods (APHA 2005
Abbreviation used
APHA: American Public Health Association
THMs: Trihalomethanes.