Enjoy drinking water worry-free - an overview!

The quality of drinking water is monitored by a number of guidelines and regulations. These include, above all, the Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV) , which has been in a new version since 2023, and the EC Drinking Water Directive.

The Federal Environment Agency (UBA), a scientific authority with around 1,700 employees, also monitors and evaluates the condition of our environment. And of course this also includes our drinking water.

In its own laboratories and measuring stations, the UBA collects and analyses its own environmental data and also evaluates the work of third parties.

The UBA informs citizens about environmental protection issues. Information about drinking water is also available there.

Overall, our drinking water is a strictly controlled and very well monitored foodstuff.

The Drinking Water Ordinance in Germany, officially referred to as the “Ordinance on the Quality of Water for Human Consumption”, is an essential part of public health protection. It implements EU directives into national law and regulates the requirements for the quality of drinking water in order to protect the health of consumers.

The regulation sets limits for microbiological, chemical and physical parameters that are intended to ensure that drinking water is free of pathogens, harmful chemicals and other contaminants.

It obliges water suppliers to carry out regular inspections and publish the results to ensure transparency and security. The regulation also sets out measures for exceeding limit values ​​and information requirements for consumers.

This ensures a high standard for drinking water quality in Germany and strengthens the population's trust in the safety of their drinking water.

The cycle from the source to the cleaning is precisely regulated.

The Drinking Water Ordinance in Germany contains several important regulations to ensure the high quality of drinking water. These include, among others:

Limit values ​​for pollutants: The regulation sets strict limit values ​​for a variety of substances, including microorganisms, chemical compounds and heavy metals. These limit values ​​are based on scientific findings and are intended to ensure that drinking water does not contain concentrations of these substances that are harmful to health.

Regular monitoring and controls: Water supply companies are obliged to carry out regular water quality checks. These controls include both the water sources and the pipe network to the consumer.

Reporting obligation and measures if limit values ​​are exceeded: If the specified limit values ​​are exceeded, the water suppliers must report this to the responsible health authorities. They are also obliged to take immediate action to correct the problems and inform consumers.

Transparency and obligation to provide information: The regulation stipulates that the results of the water analyzes must be published. This promotes transparency and allows consumers to be informed about the quality of their drinking water.

Hygiene requirements for water collection and distribution facilities: There are strict regulations for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of water collection, treatment and distribution facilities to avoid contamination.

Risk assessment and management: The Drinking Water Ordinance requires water suppliers to carry out risk management to identify and minimize potential threats to water quality.

These regulations make a significant contribution to ensuring that drinking water in Germany is among the safest and cleanest in the world.

But is that enough?

Drinking water monitoring, from drinking water production to drinking water treatment and delivery via pipelines to consumers, is well regulated in Germany.

And yet there are always reports that unsettle consumers and question quality, especially when it comes to drinking.

The NDR has raised important questions in its article " Medicine residues in water: A danger? ". Representative of many articles of this kind, the following concerns are always raised regarding the quality of our drinking water:

1. Detection of drug residues: Studies have detected traces of the painkiller diclofenac in the water. These and other residues end up in wastewater through excretion and incorrect disposal of medications. The entry of drug residues from agriculture also causes pollution in soils, waterways and lakes and is therefore also a challenge when it comes to drinking water treatment.

   
   

2. Health risks: Although the drug association does not see any health risks, there are concerns about the effects on the environment and possibly on human health. The Federal Environment Agency currently sees no health risk, but expects increasing drug residues in the water due to demographic change.

   
   

   

    

3. Reduction measures: There is always discussion about the introduction of higher purification levels in sewage treatment plants and a “trace substance strategy” to reduce contamination. In addition, better labeling of medicines with regard to their environmental compatibility is required.

This and such news worries people.

If everything is so safe, why think about further measures?

The concern about drug residues in the environment, as shown on the Federal Environment Agency website, lies primarily in their widespread distribution and their potential impacts.

In total, over 2,900 active ingredients from human and veterinary medicines can end up in water and soil.

This is done very extensively in agriculture by spreading liquid manure and manure onto agricultural land. In 2022, 540 tons of antibiotics were given to veterinarians in animal husbandry alone.

These environmental impacts therefore raise health concerns among consumers.

In particular, the role of antibiotics and increasing drug use due to the aging population increase these concerns.

The Federal Environment Agency repeatedly emphasizes the need for measures to reduce these residues in order to avoid long-term damage to the environment and health.

Further information on drug residues can be found on the website of the Federal Environment Agency .

So there is definitely something to the challenges facing our drinking water.

The new drinking water regulation continues to ensure the high quality of our drinking water. Risk-based drinking water protection is to be introduced and even lower limits are to be set for pollutants such as chromium, arsenic and lead.

All old lead pipes should be replaced by 2026. A ban on the installation of lead pipes has existed since 1973. An incredibly long time in which their use is still theoretically possible, even if it hardly plays a role in practice.

A lot is regulated and written. But who else understands this and can even understand it? The limits are constantly changing and we have to rely on everything being okay in the end.

We also pay a high annual fee for water and sewage so that we can enjoy clean water.

Our water usually runs through many kilometers of pipes to reach the tap point. From the point of connection to the house, the respective owner is responsible for maintaining the purity of the water and must, among other things, allow regular checks.

But are these carried out to the required extent and regularly? Ultimately, the only thing that helps is contacting the owner.

If you are the owner, you have to ensure that everything from the house connection remains in perfect order and that deposits in the pipes do not pose a health risk.

Drinking water from the tap in Germany is safe. There is basically no panic for people or animals.

If you still want to further improve the quality of your water and want to further reduce trace substances and elements that are classified as harmless in concentration by the Federal Environment Agency, water filters are the perfect choice.

Please take a look around our online shop . You are sure to find the right device for you.

We are available to answer any questions you may have at any time.