We often read that German tap water is strictly controlled and is one of the cleanest sources of water in Germany. How seriously can we take this claim? Does this mean that it reaches the consumer just as clean? What pollutants are in our drinking water and how do they get there? In this article, we'll inform you about various pollutants and what you can do to combat them at home:
What pollutants are in our drinking water?
Pollutants enter our drinking water in a variety of ways: for example, through agriculture through the use of fertilizers, through wastewater treatment or industrial plants, or through air pollutants and other environmental pollution. But which pollutants are most commonly found in our drinking water?
Bacteria: The most well-known bacteria that pose a health risk are Legionella bacteria. These moist bacteria occur primarily in lukewarm water (20-50 degrees Celsius). Legionella bacteria multiply very rapidly, especially in the warm summer months. An acute infection in water quickly becomes a health threat and, in the worst case, can lead to death. However, Legionella infection usually occurs while showering, not through inhaling water vapor or droplets.
Other known culprits are coliform bacteria, which usually enter water via feces, such as pipe breaks. If consumed in high concentrations, they can cause diarrhea. Water filters, such as activated carbon block filters or reverse osmosis systems, reliably remove all types of bacteria from drinking water in the kitchen. For safety in the bathroom and shower, there are special filters that protect against Legionella bacteria, which are dangerous when inhaled via aerosols.
Heavy metals: Lead, copper, mercury, and uranium can be found in fertilizers used in agriculture. Heavy metals end up in the groundwater and are difficult to remove. They have a detrimental effect on our endocrine and nervous systems. Children and babies are particularly at risk. Activated carbon block filters and reverse osmosis systems can safely remove heavy metals from drinking water, thus protecting your health.
Nitrate/Nitrite: Large amounts of nitrate enter our groundwater in agricultural areas. Nitrate converts to harmful nitrite in organisms and has a negative impact on health, especially for infants and young children. To keep nitrate out of drinking water, you can invest in a reverse osmosis system that reliably performs this task.
Other contaminants in drinking water include asbestos fibers and microplastic particles . Small amounts of pesticides and many other chemical residues can usually be detected. Drug residues, in particular, are found almost everywhere. Due to the wide variety of contaminants, it is difficult for waterworks to find processes that completely remove all contaminants from groundwater, or sometimes even surface water. Perfect water treatment directly at the waterworks is therefore impossible or far too expensive.
You can take the initiative and install a filter unit on your faucet at home. This way, you can ensure that you get the best possible drinking water from your tap.
- An activated carbon filter is suitable for removing organic substances such as drug residues, hormone-like substances, pesticides or insecticides, asbestos residues, chlorine, bacteria and heavy metals
- If you want additional security regarding nitrate/nitrite and even extremely small microplastic particles, use reverse osmosis filters. This process also removes annoying limescale!
Who causes pollutants in the water? How are they controlled?
As already described, a wide variety of pollutants are found in our drinking water. But how do they get there, and who is responsible?
Industrial waste: Toxic substances from cosmetic products, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers or paints enter the waterways via wastewater and runoff and from there into our groundwater.
Agriculture: A large part of groundwater pollution is caused by fertilizers, animal excrement or herbicides.
Private households: Another component of the waste cocktail in drinking water is pharmaceutical residue. Many people dispose of medications down the drain, where they enter the groundwater. From this point on, it is difficult to remove these residues from the water. Pharmaceutical residues can be filtered out of the water using reverse osmosis systems , for example.
In Germany, a pollutant limit applies to various components in drinking water, e.g.:
- Nitrate: Limit value in drinking water of 50 mg/l. Nitrite even only 0.5 mg/l
- Chlorine: limit value in drinking water of 0.3 mg/l
- Lead: Limit value in drinking water of maximum 10 µg/l
- Pesticides: Limit value in drinking water of a maximum of 0.5 µg/l (collective parameter for the substance group)
- Drug residues: There are (still) no specific limits for residues of antibiotics, hormones, and other substances, so the amounts are not monitored daily. These residues are not supposed to be present in drinking water, and they are therefore posing increasing problems for the plants and their laboratories.
How do pollutants get into our drinking water?
Groundwater, surface water, and spring water form the basis of our drinking water. Many foreign substances enter our drinking water supply through external influences, thereby endangering both the quality of the drinking water and the environment. This is how pollutants enter drinking water:
Industry: Wastewater from manufacturing industries must, of course, be treated before it can be discharged. Nevertheless, this source poses a significant burden for water treatment companies, as novel substances can often remain undetected for some time.
Groundwater pollution: Fertilizers, pesticides, and nitrates seep into the groundwater through their use in agriculture. Other pollutants, such as pharmaceutical residues, enter the water cycle via wastewater. Groundwater is becoming increasingly polluted, and residues of these substances are finding their way into drinking water.
- Microplastics: Microfibers and microscopic plastic particles from clothing, cosmetics, and personal care products collect in wastewater and enter the groundwater via the water cycle.
- Chemical ingredients: Chemical ingredients from the detergent enter the water cycle via the laundry wastewater.
- Old pipes: Residues of lead, zinc and iron can be found in old pipes and can seep into the flowing or standing water.
- Fittings: If water stands in the pipes for a long time and then flows out through the faucet, heavy metals such as lead or copper can dissolve.
What you can do about pollutants in mineral water
How good is the quality of mineral water, anyway? Like drinking water, mineral water is mostly extracted from our groundwater. Mineral water may only be minimally altered. Only iron, manganese, arsenic, and sulfur compounds may be removed by producers after extraction. However, it may be chemically treated, such as preserved with ozone, without having to be labeled. Ecological and product tests regularly detect traces of contaminants in mineral water. Different regulations apply here than for our drinking water.
Pesticide residues and elevated levels of asbestos, boron, and uranium can have negative health effects. Nitrates also appear as residues in mineral water, as do microplastic residues and hormone-like substances from the use of plastic bottles.
To be on the safe side, we recommend a water filter at home. This is a reliable option. If you prefer mineral water to tap water because of its carbonation, you can recarbonate your filtered tap water using a CO2 generator. This investment is not only more environmentally friendly but also more cost-effective.
Nitrates in drinking water
What is nitrate? Nitrates are the water-soluble salts of nitric acid (based on nitrogen). These salts occur naturally in the soil and are essential for both humans and animals. Nitrogen also serves as a nutrient for plants and is often used to fertilize fields.
How do nitrates get into groundwater? Pastures and fields where nitrogen is used for fertilizers and where cattle are kept are large-scale nitrate problem areas. Excessive nitrate levels in groundwater and food can be harmful to animals and humans.
What problem do nitrates in water pose? Plants absorb nitrates as a source of nitrogen and can thus utilize them. If there is too much nitrate in fields and arable land, plants can no longer absorb and utilize the excess. As a result, the nitrate accumulates in the soil. This excess penetrates deeper soil layers and into the groundwater through rain or snowmelt. A 2018 study shows that the higher the nitrate content in drinking water, the higher the risk of developing colon cancer. Until now, it was assumed that adults could handle nitrate and nitrite because they possess enzymes that prevent harmful processes. However, infants and young children do not yet have these enzymes!
How harmful are nitrates for babies? Excessive nitrate levels in drinking water can be fatal for babies, as some of it is converted into dangerous nitrite in the body. An infant's immune system is very fragile and therefore more sensitive to nitrite and other substances in drinking water. Nitrite poisoning can cause cyanosis in babies, which is fatal in the worst case. Because nitrate levels are often at or even above the limit of 50 mg/l – especially in agriculturally dominated areas – there is even so-called baby water available for purchase. This is usually low-mineralized table water (i.e., with a very low nitrate content) produced using reverse osmosis.
You should conduct a water test at home to determine if and how much nitrate is present in your drinking water. Reverse osmosis water filters are reliable devices that remove nitrate from drinking water.
Why does my water taste like iron?
Iron can appear in drinking water when well water is used or, less frequently, when corrosion (rust) occurs. The water tastes unpleasant and tastes like ink or metal. If there is too much iron in tap water, deposits can form in the pipe system.
Iron is an important mineral for humans. Iron is normally absorbed through food rather than from water. However, elevated iron levels in drinking water are not harmful to health.
What can I do about iron?
Filtering dissolved iron from drinking water is very time-consuming. You should first conduct a water analysis to assess the actual levels and determine which filtration method is best.
High levels of contamination are most commonly found in operators of private wells. Depending on the level of iron and manganese contamination, reducing the contamination with a special domestic water filter system should be considered. Such iron filters should be installed and maintained by a professional.
Since drinking water (tap water from the supplier) is rarely highly contaminated with iron, we at H2O do not carry such special filters in our product range.
Why does my water taste like chlorine?
Chlorinated water is common and not uncommon. Chlorine is used to disinfect water of germs and pathogens. However, the legally established limit should not be exceeded. According to the law, you can drink chlorinated water without a guilty conscience as long as the water supplier does not issue a warning about the water quality. However, scientists have long been warning about the negative effects on human health of long-term and excessive chlorination of drinking water.
You should therefore be aware that chlorine in drinking water can have an impact on the body, especially over a longer period of time.
Chlorine in drinking water is reliably removed worldwide using activated carbon filters.
Important instructions:
- Chlorine is intended to protect consumers from bacteria and germs. However, in Germany, chlorination is not done regularly, but rather primarily in the event of pipe bursts, after construction work, etc. Therefore, it does not normally pose a problem in drinking water.
- You can drink lightly or sporadically chlorinated drinking water without any concerns unless you have received a specific notification from your water supplier not to drink the water.
- Pregnant women and parents of babies should be careful not to consume excessive amounts of chlorinated drinking water.
Is there carcinogenic tap water?
A Danish study shows that nitrate in drinking water likely has long-term effects on adults. A risk of colon cancer exists even below the established limit. They state that the more nitrate is present in drinking water, the higher the individual's risk of colon cancer.
Nitrite, converted from nitrate, causes a restriction in the oxygen supply to blood cells in infants. This can cause health problems in the infant (cyanotic heart disease). Therefore, you should ensure that your infant receives water with as little nitrate as possible (less than 10 mg/L). Reverse osmosis filters can remove nitrates from drinking water, making it safe for infants.
According to studies, the legally prescribed limits for nitrate in drinking water are set too high and should be lowered due to the health risks. Until this happens, you have the option of protecting yourself by removing nitrate levels from your drinking water using a reverse osmosis filter.
How can I filter pollutants from drinking water?
To minimize the contamination of germs and other contaminants in drinking water, it's a good idea to install a water filter directly in your kitchen for daily cooking and drinking water. These two filters are the best choice in this case:
- Activated carbon block filter: This filter technology uses natural activated carbon to remove contaminants such as drug residues (hormones, antibiotics, etc.), pesticides, chlorine, bacteria, and even heavy metals from the water. This creates high-quality tap water that you can drink without worry.
- Reverse osmosis filter: This special membrane filter technology also removes impurities such as dissolved salts (nitrite/nitrate/sulfate), all metal ions and even the smallest particles from the water.
Conclusion
Contaminants in drinking water are not uncommon: Even though there are limits to control contaminants, they still occur in our tap water.
Pollutant cocktails are difficult to filter: The multitude of pollutants, from nitrates to drug residues, makes it difficult for suppliers to bring the water to a perfect quality for our health.
Not all myths are true: Chlorinated water doesn't necessarily mean it's hazardous to your health. However, you should always be careful and make sure you never consume excessive amounts of water containing potentially contaminants.
Water filters are the safest way: To ensure the health of you and your children, water filters are a good idea. Using various filter systems, they filter out all contaminants from the water, thus ensuring excellent water quality. Check out our range here.
