Drinking water analysis

  • Performance specification

    Drinking water is supplied to every household in Germany in excellent quality and at low cost. Regular tests ensure that the legal requirements and limit values are complied with.

    The extensive tests to be carried out by the water supply companies are supplemented by official control tests by the health authorities.

    Drinking water installation systems (i.e. the entirety of drinking water pipes and fittings) in buildings used by the public (e.g. hospitals, kindergartens, etc.) are also monitored according to special requirements of the public health department.

    In addition, domestic installations in larger apartment buildings must be checked for legionella at regular intervals. Further information on the topic of legionella in drinking water installations can be found on the homepage of the Hessian Ministry for Social Affairs and Integration (HMSI).

    If, in exceptional cases, despite all these monitoring measures, there are changes in the taste, smell or colour of the drinking water, or if there is a suspicion that the drinking water contains dangerous germs or hazardous substances, it is recommended that you contact the relevant authorities directly.

  • Process flow

    If you contact one of the below-mentioned offices in writing or by telephone, you should describe the impairments found as best you can (e.g. turbidity, taste, odour or other findings). These details can be clues for the experts as to the nature of the impurities.

    Employees of the water supply company or the public health department or testing agencies commissioned by them can come to your household or business and take a drinking water sample. This is analysed in the laboratory to find the cause of contamination.

    Tip: You can obtain information about drinking water from your local health authority, your water supply company, the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW) and the Federal Environment Agency.

  • What are the fees?

    • for official drinking water tests based on a consumer complaint: None
      For more information, please contact your public health department.
    • The respective testing centre will inform you about the costs of self-initiated testing by recognised drinking water laboratories.

  • Legal basis


Who do I need to contact?

  • the locally competent health authority
  • the water supply company or
  • in case of problems with the drinking water installation, also to the other owner of the water supply system (e.g. house owner).

If, on the other hand, you would like to arrange for your drinking water to be tested yourself, contact an appropriately qualified testing centre. Each federal state has a list of approved testing centres that meet the requirements of the Drinking Water Ordinance. You can have your drinking water tested at these centres at your own expense.

Do not take the sample yourself, the sampling procedure is standardised. Incorrect sampling will falsify the analysis.

The current versions of the Hessian state list of drinking water testing bodies as well as an extract of the drinking water testing bodies listed in the Hessian state list that are accredited for the parameter Legionella spec can be downloaded from the links below.

Responsible departments