Gültigkeitsgebiet: Hessen
Drinking water in Germany is delivered to every household in excellent quality and at a low cost. Regular testing ensures that legal requirements and limit values are met.
The extensive investigations to be carried out by the water supply companies are supplemented by official control tests by the public health authorities.
Drinking water installation systems (i.e. the entirety of the drinking water pipes and fittings) in publicly used buildings (e.g. hospitals, kindergartens, etc.) are also monitored according to special regulations set by the public health authority.
In addition, the plumbing in larger apartment buildings must be checked for Legionella at regular intervals. Further information on the topic of Legionella in drinking water systems can be found on the homepage of the Hessian Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration (HMSI).
If, in exceptional cases and despite all these monitoring measures, changes in the taste, odor, or color of the drinking water should occur, or if there should be a suspicion that the drinking water contains dangerous germs or hazardous substances, it is recommended to contact the responsible authorities directly.
If you contact one of the offices listed below in writing or by telephone, you should describe the detected impairments as best as possible (e.g., turbidity, taste, odor, or other observations). This information can provide experts with clues as to the type of contamination.
Employees of the water supply company or the public health department, or testing laboratories commissioned by them, may enter your household or business and take a drinking water sample. This is analyzed in the laboratory to find the cause of contamination.
Tip: You can obtain information regarding drinking water from your local health department, your water supply company, the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW), and the German Environment Agency.
