Drinking Water Ordinance

Drinking water which has been treated in a waterworks or drawn directly from an on-site well must meet the requirements of the German Drinking Water Ordinance all the way to the tap. Its distribution via the water company’s mains and the drinking water systems of individual buildings brings it into contact with a large range of substances. It is essential for the quality not to be impaired.

Our bodies are composed of anywhere from 50 to 70 percent water, depending on age. Constant water intake is key to our health, as our bodies lose water throughout the day and night. An adult should normally drink an average of two liters of water daily.

The four Member States (MS) Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 2011 have agreed on collaboration in the harmonization of tests for the hygienic suitability of products in contact with drinking-water. These 4MS-collaboration efforts have evolved successfully and now are termed “4MS-Initiative” (4MSI) in view of extension perspectives.