What is SANS 241?
SANS 241 (Drinking Water) is the national standard published by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). The current edition is SANS 241:2015, which has two parts: Part 1 sets out the limits for each parameter and the associated risks, and Part 2 deals with how the standard is applied in practice – for example monitoring and sampling.
The standard classifies water based on microbiological, physical, aesthetic and chemical determinants. Water that complies with SANS 241 is considered safe for lifetime consumption.
The four risk categories
Every limit in SANS 241 is linked to a type of risk. Understanding the category helps you judge how urgent a problem is:
- Acute health – can make people ill after short-term exposure, even a single drink. Microbiological contamination such as E. coli falls here.
- Chronic health – can affect health after long-term exposure (months to years), for example fluoride or arsenic.
- Aesthetic – affects taste, smell, colour or appearance. Not a direct health risk, but a common reason people stop drinking their water.
- Operational – indicates how well a treatment or supply system is performing, for example turbidity.
Key SANS 241:2015 limits
The full standard covers many more parameters. These are some of the most important for households, schools and businesses:
| Parameter | SANS 241 limit | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| E. coli | Not detected (per 100 mL) | Definitive indicator of faecal / sewage pollution |
| Total coliforms | ≤ 10 per 100 mL | General hygienic quality of the water |
| Nitrate (as N) | ≤ 11 mg/L | Fertiliser, manure and sewage; a risk for infants |
| Nitrite (as N) | ≤ 0.9 mg/L | Health risk, often linked to nitrate pollution |
| Fluoride | ≤ 1.5 mg/L | Naturally high in some SA groundwater; fluorosis |
| Arsenic | ≤ 10 µg/L | Long-term health risk |
| Iron | ≤ 300 µg/L (aesthetic), ≤ 2 000 µg/L (health) | Taste, brown staining, pipe clogging |
| Manganese | ≤ 100 µg/L (aesthetic), ≤ 400 µg/L (health) | Black staining, taste |
| Turbidity | ≤ 1 NTU (operational), ≤ 5 NTU (aesthetic) | Cloudiness; can shield microbes from disinfection |
| pH | 5 – 9.7 | Corrosion of pipes and fittings, taste |
| Electrical conductivity | ≤ 170 mS/m | Overall salt content |
| Total dissolved solids | ≤ 1 200 mg/L | Taste; overall mineral content |
| Sulphate | ≤ 250 mg/L (aesthetic), ≤ 500 mg/L (health) | Taste; laxative effect at high levels |
| Chloride | ≤ 300 mg/L | Salty taste, corrosion |
| Sodium | ≤ 200 mg/L | Salty taste |
Limits shown as summarised from SANS 241-1:2015 for general information. Your laboratory report will compare your results with the full, current standard.
Who needs to comply with SANS 241?
Water services authorities (municipalities and water boards) must supply drinking water that meets SANS 241. For private boreholes, rainwater tanks and on-site supplies, SANS 241 is the benchmark used to show that water is safe to drink – for your own family, for tenants and guests, for staff, and often when a property is sold. Producers of packaged (bottled) water made from a municipal supply also need to show compliance as part of the packaged-water regulations.
Common SANS 241 problems in borehole water
The parameters that most commonly cause borehole water to fail SANS 241 are:
- E. coli and coliforms – usually a nearby septic tank, French drain or livestock, or a poorly sealed borehole head.
- Nitrate – on farms and smallholdings with fertiliser or animal activity.
- Fluoride – naturally elevated in certain geological areas.
- Iron and manganese – staining and taste problems.
- High salts (EC/TDS) – especially in drier areas and during drought.
Read our borehole water testing guide for when to test and how to take a sample.
How to test your water against SANS 241
Our Drinking Water Test (SANS 241) analyses your water for microbiological, physical, aesthetic and chemical determinants and reports each result against the standard. Order online, take your sample using our simple guidelines, and we send a courier to collect it – anywhere in South Africa, at no extra cost. Your results are supported by a SACNASP-registered Water Resource Science specialist.
Is your water SANS 241 compliant?
Find out with a full drinking-water analysis for R2 700 – including free courier collection of your sample.