Test your drinking water — better safe than sorry!
In Germany, tap water is very safe thanks to strict monitoring by the water suppliers. However, risks can develop in the pipes in the house that can be especially harmful to babies. Water tests can give parents reassurance here... Read more
Heavy metal analysis of drinking water
| Drinking water analysis of heavy metal concentrations in private drinking-water systems. |
Legionella testing of drinking water
| Drinking water analysis to determine the concentration of Legionella. |
Protection against metals
Metals such as lead and copper often enter the water from old pipes or fittings. Babies drink a lot of fluid relative to their body weight (e.g. through bottle feeding), so they can tolerate only very small amounts of it.
- Lead: This poison damages the nerves and can, even in small quantities, impair brain development. Buildings constructed before 1973 often still have lead pipes.
- Copper: High amounts can leach from new copper pipes. This can cause stomach problems in babies or, in the worst case, lead to liver damage.
Risk from Legionella
Legionella bacteria multiply particularly well in warm, stagnant water between 25 °C and 45 °C. Infection usually does not occur through drinking, but by inhaling small droplets of water (aerosols), for example when bathing or showering. In people with weakened immune systems, these germs can cause a serious pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. Because the symptoms often resemble a severe flu, an infection in young children is sometimes only recognised late. For this reason, regular checks for Legionella are mandatory for landlords once a system exceeds a certain size, but they also offer homeowners important reassurance.
Why it is good to carry out tests
A test in a specialised laboratory provides more than just reassurance. It uncovers invisible hazards before anyone becomes ill. For parents, this is the best way to ensure that their child has clean water from birth. The one-off costs for a drinking water analysis are a long-term investment in safeguarding your child's health.