Gesundheitsamt
Bremen
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Drinking water

Drinking water is our most important food. We monitor drinking water in Bremen to ensure that the high quality standards are maintained. In this way, we protect the people of Bremen from health risks posed by contaminants in the water.

What do we do?

  • In Bremen, we monitor the water supplier wesernetz and a number of companies that operate their own wells/fountains. This water must also be of drinking water quality.
  • Both the water supplier and the companies must have tested the water they provide regularly and submit the results to us for review and evaluation.
  • We regularly check the filter systems used to purify the water and, if necessary, the extraction wells and their protection zones.
  • We check the drinking water supply at public events and in public buildings (e.g. Freimarkt and Christmas markets, or in daycare centres and clinics).
  • We inform the public about water quality and provide tips on how to maintain domesticinstallation.

What is the legal basis?

Our work is based on the Infection Protection Act and the Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). The latest version of the Drinking Water Ordinance dates from 20th June 2023. These laws apply all-around Germany. They stipulate that drinking water must be free of pollutants and microbiological contaminants so that it can be drunk without hesitation throughout life.

The current drinking water supply regulations prohibit the use of lead pipes for drinking water supply. Together with the Sanitary, Heating and Air Conditioning Guild, we have compiled the most important information (pdf, 262.3 KB) on this topic.

Telephone office hours & contact details

Postal
Bremen Health Authority

Horner Straße 60-70
28203 Bremen
Postal<br /> Bremen Health Authority<br />

Frequently asked questions and answers about drinking water

Legionella in drinking water

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Medicines in drinking water

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Lead in drinking water

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Copper in drinking water

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Drinking water in the home

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Domestic water filters

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Drinking water at markets

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Background information about our drinking water

Where does Bremen's drinking water come from and how is it purified?
Bremen's drinking water is obtained entirely from groundwater. The water supplier wesernetz has a waterworks in Bremen-Blumenthal. Every year, around 5.4 million cubic metres of water are extracted from 12 deep wells (as of November 2023). This covers around 17% of Bremen's drinking water requirements. The remaining 83% comes from the surrounding area in Lower Saxony:

  • the Harzwasserwerke (Schneeren, Liebenau and Ristedt waterworks),
  • the Verden drinking water association (Panzenberg and Wittkoppen waterworks),
  • the Oldenburg-East Frisian Water Association (Wildeshausen waterworks).

Before you can drink the water, it has to be purified. This happens in three steps at the Blumenthal waterworks:

  1. First, oxygen is added to the water so that the iron can be filtered out. The water flows through a sand filter, which captures the iron.
  2. Afterwards the water is sprayed into the air (sprinkled) to absorb oxygen. This also removes the carbon dioxide.
  3. In the final step, manganese is removed from the water using tiny organisms (microorganisms). A small amount of sodium hydroxide is also added to adjust the acidity (pH value) of the water.

Then the purified drinking water is fed into a storage tank and distributed to the people of Bremen. Groundwater from Lower Saxony is already purifiedat local waterworks and fed directly into the Bremen network as finished drinking water.

Drinking water from the tap
The drinking water supplied to your flat or house is subject to strict controls and is of excellent quality. However, the quality can deteriorate as it flows through the pipes and fittings in your home. If the water stands in the pipes for a long time, metals such as lead or copper can dissolve, for example. Bacteria can also spread in standing water. Periodic maintenance of the drinking water system is important to maintain high drinking water quality. The owner of the house is responsible for maintaining the domesticinstallation.
Further information and tips can be found at


Further information and tips can be found at

The laboratories accredited for drinking water testing in the Bremen area are listed in the following overview Drinking water testing centres (pdf, 413.3 KB).