DEAS 1172 : 202 3 
ICS 13.060.30  
 
© EA C 2023                                                                                                                           First Edition 2023  
 EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Wastewater  discharged on land  and into water  bodies — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  DEAS 1172 : 202 3 
ii © EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  
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Violators may be prosecuted . DEAS 1172 : 202 3 
© EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  2 
4 Requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  4 
4.1 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  4 
4.2 Limits for Inorganic parameter s ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  5 
4.3 Microbiological limits  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  6 
5  Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  9 
A.1 General  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  10 
A.2 Procedure  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  10 
A.3 Calculation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  10 
 
 DEAS 1172 : 202 3 
iv © EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchang ed 
within the Community will be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee  (EASC)  mandated to develop and 
issue East African Standards  (EAS) . The Committee is composed of representatives of the National 
Standards Bodies in Partner States, together with the representatives from the public and private sector 
organizations  in the community .  
East African Standards are developed through  Technical Committees that are representative of key 
stakeholders including government, academ ia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the 
Partner States. The comments received are discussed and incorporated before finalizat ion of standards, in 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for development of East African Standards. XXXXXX.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
The committee responsible  for this document is Technical Committee EASC /TC 075, Wastewater  
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements  of this document may be subject of patent 
rights. EAC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 DEAS 1172 : 202 3 
© EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  v 
 Introduction  
The purpose of the standard is to indicate the quality of wastewater permitted to be discharged  on land and 
into water  bodies . The use thereof is meant to promote a consistent approach towards prevention of water 
pollution in the region. In this regard, the wastewaters to be discharged on land and into water bodies should 
be free from:  
a) Substances that will se ttle in receiving water  bodies  or land  forming putrescent or otherwise objectionable 
sludge deposits, or that will adversely affect aquatic life.  
b) Floating debris and other material in amounts sufficient to be noticeable and lead to deterioration of 
receiving waters  or land.   
c) Nutrients in concentrations that promote undesirable growths of algae or aquatic weeds which may lead to 
secondary harmful effects in the receiving waters.  
d) Materials in quantities or concentrations which are toxic or harmful to life.  
e) Materials that alone or in combination with other materials will produce colour, turbidity, and odour in 
sufficient concentration to create a nuisance or adversely affect the aquatic ecosystem.  
Wastewater from all municipal and industrial establishments including but not limited to the  listed below;  
(1) The pulp and paper facilities .   
(2) The oil and gas industry from exploration, production, refining and retail. It includes natural and petroleum gas, 
fuel oils, petrochemicals, lubricants, petroleum a nd other by -products  
 
(3) Pharmaceutical, agrochemical, iron and steel manufacturing, metal smelting, radioactive materials/wastes, 
tannery,  textile, mining, processi ng, packaging materials , cosmetic, food and beverage and hospital waste  
 
(4) Wastewater principall y derived from households, business buildings, institutions, etc. which may or may not 
contain surface runoff, groundwater or storm water  
 
 
  
 EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 1172 : 2023 
 
© EAC 2023 – All rights reserved  1 
 Wastewater  discharged  on land and into water  bodies — Specification  
1 Scope  
This draft east African sta ndard specifies  the requirements of wastewater discharged on land and into water  
bodies  from municipal  and industrial activities.  
The standard does not cover requirements for hazardous effluents that are classified as restricted substances 
which should be evaluated under relevant international agreemen ts, conventions and protocols.   
2 Normative  references   
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes 
requirements of this document.  For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
ISO 6107, Water quality — Vocabulary  
ISO 5815 -2:2003, Water quality — Determination of  biochemical oxygen demand after n days (BODn) — Part 
2: Method of undiluted samples  
ISO 11923:1997, Water quality — Determination of suspended solids by filtration through glass -fibre filters   
ISO 7027 -1, Water quality — Determination of turbidity — Part 1: Quantitative metho ds 
ISO 10301:1997, Water quality  — Determination of highly volatile halogenated hydrocarbons — Gas- 
chromatographic methods  
ISO 6468:1996, Water quality — Determination of certain organochlorine insecticides, polychlorinated 
biphenyls and chlorobenzenes — Gas chromatographic method after liquid -liquid extraction  
ISO 7875 -1, Water quality — Determination of surfactants  — Part 1: Determination of anionic surfactants by 
measurement of the methylene blue index (MBAS)   
ISO 10523, Water quality  — Determination of pH 
ISO/TC 15923 -2, Water quality  — Determination of selected parameters by discrete analysis systems — Part 
2 — Chromium (VI), fluoride, total alkalinity, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, iron, iron (II), manganese 
and aluminium with photometric detect ion 
ISO 12846, Water quality  — Determination of mercury — method using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) 
with and without enrichment  
ISO 17294 -2, Water quality — Application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP -MS) — Part 
2: Determinatio n of selected elements including uranium isotopes  
ISO 8288, Water quality  — Determination of cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, cadmium and lead  — Flame atomic 
absorption spectrometric methods   
2 © EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  
 ISO 15923 -1, Water quality  — Determination of selected parameters by  discrete analysis systems — Part 1 — 
Ammonium, nitrate, nitrate, chloride, orthophosphate, sulphate and silicate with photometric detection  
ISO 11732, Water quality  — Determination of ammonium nitrogen — method by flow analysis (CFA and FIA) 
and spectrome tric detection  
ISO 11732, Water quality  — Determination of dissolved sulphides — Photometric method using methylene 
blue 
ISO 15705, Water quality  — Determination of the chemical oxygen demand index (ST -COD) — Small - scale 
sealed - tube method  
ISO 5663: 1984 , Water quality — Determination of Kjeldahl nitrogen — Method after mineralization with  
selenium  
ISO 6222: 1999, Water quality — Enumeration of culturable micro -organisms — Colony count by inoculation 
in a nutrient agar culture medium   
ISO 6703 , Water qual ity — Determination of cyanide — Part 1: Determination of total cyanide  
ISO 24513:2019 , Service activities relating to drinking water supply, wastewater and storm water  systems — 
Vocabulary  
ISO 6777: 1984, Water quality — Determination of nitrite — Molecular absorption spectrometric method  
ISO 7393 -2, Water quality — Determination of free chlorine and total chlorine — Part 2: Colorimetric method 
using N,  N-dialkyl -1,4-phenylenediamine, for r outine control purposes   
ISO 7887: 1994, Water quality — Examination and determination of colour   
ISO 15586: 2003, Water quality — Determination of trace elements using atomic absorption spectrometer with 
graphite furnace  
ASTM D5907 -13, Standard test metho ds for filterable matter (total dissolved solids) and non -filterable matter 
(total suspended solids) in water   
ISO 5667 -10, Water quality — Sampling — Part 10: Guidance on sampling of waste water  
American Public Health Association (APHA) Standard Methods f or the Examination of Water and Wastewater  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions given in ISO 6107 and the following 
apply.  
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization a t the following addresses:  
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp   
 
3.1  
absorbable organic halide (AOX)  
amount of chloride, bromide , fluoride  or iodide bound to dissolved or suspended or ganic material   
© EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  3 
 3.2  
hazardous wastes  
any discarded material containing substances known to be toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, or teratogenic to 
humans or other life forms; ignitable, corrosive, explosive, or highly reactive alone or with other materials.  
3.3  
monitoring  
long term programmed process of sampling, measurement and subsequent recording, reporting or signalling, 
or both, of various wastewater characteristic with the aim of assessing compliance with specified standards.  
3.4  
treatment facilities  
an arrangement of devices and structures, excluding septic tanks, constructed for the purpose of treatment of 
wastewaters for domestic, commercial or industrial sources, or combination thereof.  
3.5  
wastewater  
water discharged after being used, or produced by a process, and which is of no further immediate value to 
that process  
3.6  
water pollution  
an impairment of the suitability of water from some considered purpose.  
3.7  
validated method  
any analytical procedure employed for specific test that has been co nfirmed by recognized authorit y. 
3.8  
municipal wastewater  
wastewater from residential settlements, commercial. institutional and public facilities, which originates 
predominantly from toilets, bathrooms and kitchens. It may include domestic wastewater fro m industry 
facilities and pretreated industrial wastewater.  
3.9  
industrial wastewater  
wastewater generated from industrial processes  
3.10   
active ingredient  
Active ingredients relate to major chemical groups used in the formulation of pesticides (insecti cides, 
fungicides, herbicides & rodenticides) and pharmaceuticals  
3.11   
colour  
absorption of light at a specific wavelength in a filtered wastewater sample.  
3.12   
crude oil  
oil produced from a reservoir after any associated gas and/or water has been rem oved, often simply referred 
to as ‘crude’.  
3.13   
exploration  
The search for oil and gas in the subsurface geological formation, which includes aerial, geophysical and 
geochemical surveys, core testing, and drilling of wells.   
4 © EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  
 3.14    
natural occurring ra dioactive materials (NORM’S)  
those materials that contain radioactive elements found naturally in the earth’s environment. Examples of 
these radioactive elements are the 238U, 235U, 232Th series and their respective decay daughter, as well as 40K. 
3.15   
oily waste  
waste mainly composed of a mixture of oil, solids and water, with the occasional presence of other 
contaminants.  
3.16   
onshore  
refers to the development of oil fields and gas deposits on land.  
3.17   
production  
phase of petroleum activities  that deals with bringing the well fluids to the surface and separating them, 
storing, gauging, and otherwise preparing the product for the pipeline.  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1  Wastewater  shall be treated prior to discharge ; dilution is  not an acceptable treatment option ; 
4.1.2  Discharging of wastewaters  on land and into water bodies shall ensure that:  
i. Wastewater quality specified in this standard is achieved consistently   
ii. Discharge of municipal and industrial wastewater close to a water supply source and recreational areas shall be in 
consultation  with local authorities  
4.2 Specific requirements  
4.2.1  Physical  and chemical requirements  
Wastewaters shall comply with the requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with the methods 
prescribed therein   
Table 1  — Physical and chemical requirements for municipal and industrial wastewaters  
S/N Parameter  Requirements  Test method  
i.  BOD 5, at 20 ºC, mg/L, max.  50 ISO 5815 -2 
ii.  COD, mg/L, max.  100  ISO 15705  
iii.  Colour, TCU , max  300  ISO 7887  
iv.  pH 5 – 9 
 ISO 10523  
v.  temperature change, ºC 
 
   ambient  ±5  Annex A  
vi.  Oil and grease, mg/L , max  10 ISO 9377 -2 
vii.  Total Suspended Solids  80  ISO 11923   
© EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  5 
 (TSS), mg/L , max   
viii.  Turbidity, NTU  30 ISO 7027 -1 
ix.  Total dissolved solids, mg/L , 
max  1500   ASTM D5907 -13 
x.  Dissolved oxygen ,mg/L , min  3  ISO 17289  
xi.  Electrical conductivity, µs/cm, 
max  2500  ISO 7888  
 
4.2.2 Limits for Inorganic parameters  
Municipal and industrial wastewaters shall comply with the requirements given in Table 2 when tested in 
accordance with the methods prescribed therein.  
Table 2  — Maximum Inorganic limits for municipal and industrial wastewaters  
S/N Parameter  Maximum limits for 
municipal (mg/L)  Maximum limits for 
industrial (mg/L)   Test method  
i.  Aluminium (as Al)  NA  2  ISO/TS 15923  
ii.  Arsenic (As)  NA  0.01 ISO 17294 -2 
iii.  Barium (Ba)  NA  
 1.5 ISO 17294 -2 
iv.  Cadmium (Cd)  NA  0.01 ISO 8288  
v.  Chromium (total)  NA  1.0 ISO 17294 -2 
vi.  Chromium (VI)  0.05 0.05 ISO/TS 15923  
vii.  Chlorides (Cl-) 250  250  ISO 15923 -1 
viii.  Cobalt (Co)  NA  1.0 ISO 82 88 
ix.  Copper (Cu)  1.0 1.0  ISO 8288  
x.  Fluorides (F-) 4 4 ISO/TS 15923  
xi.  Iron NA  3.5  ISO/TS 15923  
xii.  Lead (Pb)  NA  0.01 ISO 8288  
xiii.  Manganese  NA  1  ISO/TS 15923  
xiv.  Mercury (Hg)  NA  0.001  ISO 12846  
xv.  Nickel (Ni)  NA  0.5 ISO 8288  
xvi.  Nitrates ( NO 3-N )  10  10  ISO 15923 -1 
xvii.  Nitrites  (NO 2) 1.0 1.0 ISO 6777  
xviii.  Total Nitrogen  20   20  ISO 5663  
xix.  Ammonium nitrogen  5 
 5 ISO 11732  
xx.  Phosphorus Total (as P)  5 5 ISO 17294 -2 
xxi.  Selenium (Se)  NA  0.02 ISO 5663  
xxii.  Silver (Ag)  NA  0.1 ISO 15586  
xxiii.  Sulphate (SO 4 2- ) 500 
 500 ISO 15923 -1  
6 © EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  
 xxiv.  Sulphides (S-) 1 1 ISO 10530  
xxv.  Tin (Sn)  NA  2.0 ISO 17294 -2 
xxvi.  Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (as N)  10  10  ISO 5663  
xxvii.   Vanadium  NA  1.0 ISO 17294 -2 
xxviii.   Zinc (Zn)  NA  5.0 ISO 8288  
xxix.  Cyanide  NA  0.05 ISO 6703  
xxx.  Residual chlorine   0.5 ( for the systems 
disinfecting with 
chlorine)  0.5  ISO 7393 -2 
 
NOTE: for the cases where municipal establishment s contain a mixture of domestic  and industrial wastewater , the 
parameters  requirements  under the column of industria l wastewater in Table 2  applies  
4.2.3 Microbio logical limits  
The municipal and industrial wastewaters shall comply with the requirements given in Table 3 when tested in 
accordance with the methods prescribed therein.  
Table 3  — Maximum  microbiological limits for municipal and industrial wastewaters  
 
 
S/N Microorganisms  Maximum limits for 
municipal and 
industrial 
wastewater 
(counts/100mL)  Test method  
i.  Total coliform organisms  10 000  
( 1000  for the 
systems disinfecting  
with chlorine)  ISO 6222  
 
ii.  E- coli 400 
 (100  for the systems 
disinfecting  with 
chlorine)  
iii.  Faecal Coliform  1 000  
(400  for the systems 
disinfecting  with 
chlorine)  
 
4.2.4  Natural occurring radioactive materials (NORM’S)  
The waste water discharged  on land and into water bod ies from any oil and gas, mining and processing of the 
radioact ive material shall comply with the requirements  given in the Table 4  
Table 4 — Limits for n atural occurring radioactive materials (NORM’S)  
 
S/N Parameter  Maximum Limit (Bq/g) or (Bq/l)  Test method  
i.  238U 1 ISO 13169   
© EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  7 
 ii.  235U 1 ISO 13169  
iii.  232Th 1 ISO 4722  
iv.  226Ra 10 ISO 22908  
v.  222Rn 10 ISO 13164 -2 
vi.  228Ra 10 ISO 22908  
vii.  224Ra 10 ISO 13165 -3 
viii.  208Tl 10 ISO 17294  
 
NOTE: For onshore disposal of the NORM, permissible limits is < 50Bq/g but it should be in unpopulated and desert 
areas.  
4.2.5  Limits for organic p arameters  
The municipal and industrial waste water discharged on land and into water bodies shall comply with the 
requirements given in Table 5 when tested in accordance with the methods prescribed therein.  
Table 5 — Maximum  organic limits for municipal and industrial wastewaters   
8 © EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  
 S/N Parameter  Maximum limits for 
municipal 
wastewater (mg/L)  Maximum limits for 
industrial wastewater 
(mg/L)  Test method  
i.  Active ingredients (each)  0.05 0.05 (APHA, ) /  ISO 9562  
ii.  Adsorbable Organic Halides (AOX)  1 1 (APHA,) /  ISO 15302  
iii.  Benzene  NA  
 0.05 ISO 6468: ISO 7875  
iv.  Benzo (a) pyrene  NA  
 0.05 (APHA,  /ISO17993  
v.  Detergents  15 15 
(APHA, / ISO 2271  
 
vi.  Dioxins/Furans (Total)  NA  
 0.00005  (APHA, /  ISO 13914  
vii.  Ethylbenzene  NA  
 0.05 ISO 10301  
viii.  Fats Oils & Grease  10 10 ISO 9377  
ix.  Nitro organic Compounds (each)  0.05 0.05 (APHA,) /  ISO 11733 ( 
to be checked)  
x.  Organochlorine pesticides (each)  NA  
 0.05 ISO 6468: 1996.  
xi.  Organophosphorus pesticides (each)  NA  
 0.05 (APHA,)  
xii.  Phenols  NA  
 0.5 ISO 6468/1SO 
14402/6439  
xiii.  Phenoxy  Compounds (each)  NA  
 0.05 ISO 6468/1SO 
14402/6439  
xiv.  Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (each)  0.05 
 0.05 (APHA, / ISO 28540  
xv.  Pyrethroids (each)  NA  
 0.05 (APHA, ) 
xvi.  Toluene  NA  
 0.05 (APHA, /  ISO 17943  
xvii.  Total chlorocarbons  0.05 0.05 (APHA, ) 
xviii.  Total Hy drocarbons  NA 
 0.05 (APHA, / ASTM D7678  
xix.  Total Organic Carbon  50 50 (APHA,) /  ASTM 
D7573/   ASTM D4839  
xx.  Trichloroethane  0.05 0.05 (APHA, / ISO 17943  
xxi.  Trichloroethylene  0.05 0.05 (APHA,) /  ISO 17943  
xxii.  Vinyl Chloride   NA 
 0.05 (APHA, / ISO 17943  
xxiii.  Xylene  NA 
 0.05 (APHA, / ISO 17943   
© EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  9 
 NOTE: for the cases where municipal establishments contain a mixture of domestic and industrial wastewater, the 
parameters requirements under  the column  of industrial wastewater in Table 5 applies  
5  Sampling  
Sampling  shall be  done in accordance with ISO 5667 -10.  
10 © EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved  
 Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Depth temperature measurement  
A.1 General  
Depth temperature required for limnological studies may be measured with a reversing thermometer, 
thermophone, or thermistor. The thermistor is most conven ient and accurate; however, higher cost may 
preclude its use.  
A.2 Procedure  
Calibrate any temperature measurement devices with certified thermometer before field use. Make readings 
with the thermometer or device immersed in water long enough to permit com plete equilibration. Report 
results to the nearest 0.1 or 1.0 ˚C, depending on need.  
The thermometer commonly used for depth measurements is of the reversing type. It often is mounted on the 
sample collection apparatus so that a water sample may be obtain ed simultaneously. Correct readings of 
reversing thermometers for changes due to differences between temperature at reversal and temperature at 
time of reading.  
A.3 Calculation  
The temperature change shall be calculated as follows:  
ΔT= [ 
 ] x [ 
 ]+ L 
Where:  
ΔT correction to be added algebraically to uncorrected reading,  
T’ uncorrected reading at reversal,  
t  temperature at which thermometer is read  
Vo volume, of small bulb end of capillary up to 0 ºC graduation  
K constant depending on  relative thermal expansion of mercury and glass (usual value of K = 6100), and  
L calibration correction of thermometer depending on T’  
If series observations are made, it is convenient to prepare graphs for a thermometer to obtain T from any 
values of T’  and t.  
 DEAS 117 2: 2023   
 
© EAC 202 3 – All rights reserved