The invention provides a low-pressure anion-cation chromatographic-spectrophotometric method for simultaneous online automatic analysis of trace ammonium ions and nitrite ions in a water sample; the method employs analytical apparatuses, such as a low-pressure pump, a sample injection valve, a sample injection ring, a low-pressure anion exchange column, a low-pressure cation exchange column, an oxidation reactor, a color rendering reactor, an optical flow cell, an optical detector, a computer processing system, a first mixer and a second mixer, and comprises the steps of (1) drawing a baseline; (2) drawing a spectrum of NH4+ and NO2- in a sample; (3) drawing a standard working curve; (4) calculating the concentrations of NH4+ and NO2- to be detected in the sample according to peak height values of the spectrum of NH4+ and NO2- and a regression equation of the standard working curve. It is the first time for the method to provide simultaneous online analysis for trace NH4+ and NO2- in a water sample by the joint use of low-pressure ion chromatography and spectrophotometry, and the method has the advantages of low analytical cost and high analytical efficiency.