In the Drinking Water Ordinance (second ordinance amending the Drinking Water Ordinance) of 20 June 2023, it is defined that drinking water installations (hot and cold) – the final “packaging” of our most important foodstuff, drinking water – are considered water supply systems. Proper planning, installation, and commissioning of a drinking water installation are essential prerequisites for compliance with the Drinking Water Ordinance at the point of use, i.e. at the drinking water outlet.Otherwise, the quality of drinking water may be adversely affected in the final section of the distribution system, particularly within buildings, due to hygiene-relevant substances.

This may result in health-relevant contamination with chemical substances (e.g. lead, nickel, copper) or microbial contamination with pathogens (e.g. Legionella spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Depending on structural and operational conditions, drinking water installations (cold and hot) may be subject to notification and/or mandatory testing (§§ 11, 12, 25, 26, 31, as well as 51 and 52 of the Drinking Water Ordinance).This applies in particular to drinking water installations from which drinking water is supplied as part of a commercial or public activity.

Close cooperation among all parties involved – from planners and installers to contractors, operators, and consumers – is therefore an essential prerequisite for the hygienically safe operation of a drinking water installation. The implementation of hygienic requirements for drinking water installations is necessary to ensure the proper quality of drinking water at outlets such as showers, washbasins, sinks, and other points of use. In addition to maintenance and proper use of the installation, regular testing of drinking water plays an important role in preventive health protection.

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