Drinking Water in Germany: A Case Study of High Quality Drinking Water - Global Drinking Water Management and Conservation - page 276

Only 0.03 percent of wastewater is not treated by a biological wastewater treatment
process. About 26 percent of drinking water is from surface water, namely rivers
and lakes that receive biologically treated wastewater. We can conclude from the
evidence presented in this chapter that German drinking water quality is better than
Class 5, a classi

cation of treated water developed in Chap. 3 . Class 5 treatment
removes all other pollutants including micropollutants (PPCPs) discussed in this
chapter.
There is evidence of very low water leakage, due to a well-maintained water
infrastructure, the costs of which are

financed largely by water charges and fees.

Hence there is no , a characteristic of many North American

cities. Based on the evidence, we are able to conclude that German consumers enjoy
very high quality drinking water.

“ deferred maintenance ”

Appendix

Table 12.4 German drinking water maximum concentration level for chemical parameters
(Bundesgesetzblatt 2011 )
Chemical parameters
Parameter MCL

(mg/l)

Parameter MCL

(mg/l)

Acrylamide 0.0001 Antimony 0,005

Benzene 0.001 Arsenic 0.01

Boron 1 Benzo [a] pyrene 0.00001

Bromate 0.01 Lead 0.01

Chrome 0.05 Cadmium 0.003

Cyanide 0.05 Epichlorohydrin 0.0001

1,2-dichloroethane 0.003 Copper 2

Fluoride 1.5 Nickel 0.02

Nitrate 50 Nitrite 0.5

Plant protection products and biocidal
products

0.0001 Polycyclic aromatic

hydrocarbons

0.0001

Plant protection products and biocidal
total

0.0005 Trihalomethanes 0.05

Mercury 0.001 Vinyl chloride 0.0005

Selenium 0.01 Uranium 0.01

Tetrachloroethene 0.01
Trichloroethene 0.01
Note Measured quantities are based on a representative for the weekly average value ingested by
consumers; this is provided in Article 7, Paragraph 4 of the Drinking Water Directive, which calls
for the establishment of a harmonized procedure. The competent authorities are required to ensure
that all appropriate measures are taken to reduce the concentration of lead in water intended for
human consumption to achieve the limit as far as possible. Actions designed to achieve this are
progressively given priority where the lead concentration in water for human consumption is
higher than the MCL of 0.01 mg/L