Souvenir bottle for tap water on the German island of Sylt
As Deutsche Welle notes, on average, each resident of Germany uses about 120 liters of water daily. Since the early 1990s, this figure has decreased by about twenty liters. Of the daily volume, only two to three liters are used for cooking and quenching thirst. About forty liters each for showering and flushing the toilet, seventeen liters for laundry. The rest goes to watering gardens, washing cars—Germans' "most beloved children"—and other needs.
Water is a valuable natural resource
Germany is among the countries that (for now) do not experience a shortage of this natural resource. Currently, only 17 percent of the total available drinking water volume is used—mainly from groundwater and artesian sources. These account for about 70 percent. Next come lakes and reservoirs—12 percent.
There is plenty of water in Germany, but the recent record dry years are already prompting serious thought about stable water supply in the future. A cubic meter of cold tap water costs an average of two euros in Germany, or 0.2 cents per liter. However, prices vary by region.
Who is responsible for water?
Can you drink tap water in Germany? Yes. In principle, the article could end here. Tap drinking water is one of the most strictly controlled and safe food products here. Many Germans view this common assertion as a kind of axiom—not without a certain degree of pride.
Water supply is a state task, handled by municipal utilities. Even hints at creating a legal framework for privatizing this sector in EU countries provoke an unequivocally negative reaction in Germany—both among residents and politicians.
Control is based on a special legislative act—the Drinking Water Ordinance (Trinkwasserverordnung). It is safe to drink tap water. Before entering the system, it undergoes filtration, treatment, and constant monitoring. Wells, reservoirs, and water protection zones are also strictly controlled. Problems can arise in the last meters, but more on that later.
According to a study by the Federal Association of Municipal Utilities, 83 percent of German residents are satisfied with the quality of tap water. 92 percent are confident that it poses no danger. Complaints are mostly related to elevated levels of calcium and magnesium salts, as well as iron, but this is a matter of taste, not safety.
Sources of danger
Real problems can occur in some old houses—where lead pipes still remain, which Germany stopped using in 1973. In such houses, they must be replaced if the current standard of 0.01 mg of lead per liter is exceeded. A laboratory test for heavy metals in water costs about 50 euros.
A separate issue is nitrates, which enter groundwater from fertilizing fields with manure. The problem has worsened with the increase in large industrial livestock farms that need to dispose of this manure. Moreover, this problem has intensified not only in Germany but also in neighboring Netherlands, from where Dutch manure is transported for disposal to German federal states across the border. German field owners receive money for this. Disposal of one cubic meter, including transport and intermediate storage, can now reach 25 euros.
When more manure is applied to fields than plants need, nitrates seep into groundwater. Special additional filters are needed to remove them from drinking water. Many water utilities are forced to purchase new equipment for this, leading to higher tariffs. Legislators have already responded to the problem. In June 2017, a new regulation on fertilizer rules came into force in Germany, aimed at reducing harmful substances in the soil.
A few words about legionella. These bacteria can cause a particularly severe form of pneumonia and thrive under certain conditions in warm water. That is why owners of residential property rented out in Germany are required to regularly test for these bacteria in the water and heating system, but we will not delve into these details here.
Near fountains and in some other places in Germany, you can see signs with a crossed-out tap and the words "Kein Trinkwasser." This means the water here is non-potable, not intended for drinking.
Tap or bottle?
So, Germans can safely quench their thirst with tap water at home and at work. Incidentally, this is why German labor law does not require employers to provide employees with drinking water. But no matter how much tap water you give a German, they still look at bottled mineral water!
The list of all mineral waters bottled at various German springs exceeds 800 names. If you set out to try one variety a day, it would take over two years to go through the entire range. You could get through medicinal mineral waters faster—there are currently three and a half dozen on the market. They undergo strict testing and certification in accordance with pharmaceutical legislation.