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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.
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.
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:
Before you can drink the water, it has to be purified. This happens in three steps at the Blumenthal waterworks:
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
The laboratories accredited for drinking water testing in the Bremen area are listed in the following overview Drinking water testing centres (pdf, 140.6 KB).
