Water quality
How drinking water quality is monitored from source to tap, and how to keep it safe at home.
Organisation
The Quality Management Unit (SNDE-CMQ)
Within SNDE, the Quality Management Unit (Cellule Management de la Qualité) coordinates monitoring of the water produced and supplied. It relies on laboratories, including regional laboratories, to take samples and carry out testing.
Plan
Set sampling points and how often samples are taken.
Test
Carry out laboratory and on-site testing.
Act
Raise alerts and trigger corrective action when needed.
From source to tap
Monitoring at every stage
Water quality depends on every step of the journey, and monitoring follows the same path.
- 1
Source
Monitoring raw water drawn from the river and from aquifers.
- 2
Treatment
Checking that clarification and disinfection work properly.
- 3
Plant outlet
Testing treated water before it enters the pipelines.
- 4
Network
Sampling at points across the network, including public standpipes.
- 5
Correction
If something is off, finding the cause and taking corrective action.
Testing
What is checked
Testing covers three broad groups of parameters.
Physical and chemical parameters
How the water looks and what it contains.
- Turbidity and colour
- pH and conductivity
- Minerals and undesirable substances
Bacteriological parameters
The absence of germs that would indicate contamination.
- Bacteria indicating faecal contamination
- Checks after network works
Residual disinfectant
A slight chlorine residual that protects water in the pipes.
- Measuring residual chlorine across the network
Reference standards
Reference values are based on the World Health Organization’s guidelines for drinking-water quality and on applicable national regulations.
National regulations
Exact references of the Mauritanian drinking water standards applied by SNDE.
Quality reports
No quality report has been published yet. Official reports will be posted in the Publications section as soon as SNDE releases them.
At home
Keep your water safe
Water can deteriorate after the meter, while it is stored. These simple habits protect it.
- Use a clean container with a lid, kept only for drinking water.
- Keep tanks and jerrycans closed, out of the sun and away from dust.
- Draw water through a tap or with a clean ladle, never with your hands.
- Clean your containers regularly and replace stored water.
- Have old or damaged indoor plumbing checked.
Your questions about quality
The water tastes or smells of chlorine. Is that normal?
A slight chlorine smell shows that the disinfectant protecting water in the network is present. Leaving the water to stand for a few hours in a clean, covered jug reduces the taste.
The water is cloudy or discoloured after an interruption.
After works or when supply returns, run the cold tap for a few minutes. If it does not look normal again, contact customer service.
Can I have my tap water tested?
Tell customer service about your request and they will explain what to do.
Concerned about mains water?
An unusual colour, a strong smell or an abnormal taste that persists: do not drink the water and call the toll-free number.80 00 15 15
Need help?
Customer service can answer your questions about your subscription, your bills and water supply.