Filtering Water: Does it Make Sense? All Info

Many people are skeptical about the water quality in Germany. But does it really make sense to filter the water? We’ll tell you.

Is a water filter worth it? That’s how clean the tap water is in Germany

If the tap water is already clean enough to drink safely, it is no longer worth filtering it separately. You must therefore know the following about drinking water quality in Germany:

• In Germany, drinking water quality is regulated in the Drinking Water Ordinance. The maximum pollutant limits for the water are set there. Our drinking water is therefore one of the most strictly controlled foods in Germany.
• If the pollutant values ​​of the drinking water are exceeded, you will be informed in good time by the water supplier. So you needn’t fear anything here.
• So the following applies: Up to the house connection, the water is absolutely harmless and makes filtering superfluous.

More harmful than healthy: The problems with water filters

If you still want to use a water filter, you should keep the following facts in mind:

• As the Stiftung Warentest found out in 2014, the performance of most water filters is unsatisfactory: three of the models tested received the best result, just a satisfactory rating, four models were considered sufficient, and two filters were even defective.
• The problem: Many filters collect germs. With water filters, a distinction is made between models with activated carbon filters, ion exchangers, and a reverse osmosis filter.
• Both with activated carbon filters and with ion exchangers there is a high risk of contamination, which means that the quality of the water is reduced rather than improved.
• With reverse osmosis filters, there is another danger instead of contamination: Here, all minerals are usually filtered out of the water, which can lead to an undersupply of minerals.

Conclusion: Filtering water really makes sense

• One thing is certain: water filters usually cause more problems than benefits. In particular, the risk of contamination reduces the quality of tap water.
• In some cases, the use of a water filter can still make sense: For example, if you live in a house with old water pipes, you should have the water tested for lead content.
• Even with new copper pipes, the copper content can be too high and therefore harmful. A water analysis also provides information about the quality of the water.
• If the lead or copper content is actually too high, it actually makes sense to filter the water temporarily.
• When selecting the water filter, however, you should pay attention to the low risk of contamination.