Drinking water

The high requirements for drinking water quality are also ensured in the city of Jena by the monitoring of the public health department.

The purpose of monitoring drinking water systems(Section 3 (2) of the Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV)) is to prevent harm to human health, particularly from pathogens in drinking water. Pathogens, if they were to enter the drinking water network, could quickly reach and infect many people. This risk must be kept to a minimum.

Definition of drinking water

Drinking water within the meaning of the Drinking Water Ordinance is all water that

• for personal hygiene and cleaning,
• for cleaning objects that are intended to come into contact with food and
• for cleaning objects that come into contact with the human body not only temporarily.

The purpose of the Drinking Water Ordinance is to protect human health from adverse effects resulting from the contamination of water intended for human consumption by ensuring its fitness for human consumption and purity.

Drinking water is monitored on the basis of the Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV) in conjunction with the Infection Protection Act (IfSG):

The specified limit values (microbiological, chemical and indicator parameters) in the Drinking Water Ordinance enable compliance with and safe use of drinking water to be monitored.

As part of the monitoring, the public health department must check the fulfillment of the obligations incumbent on the operator and other owner of a water supply system. The inspections also include the inspection of water supply systems in accordance with Section 3 (2) a-f including the associated protection zones and the taking and testing of water samples.

Construction work on water supply systems in accordance with § 3 para. 2 letters a-f TrinkwV must be reported to the public health department § 13 para. 1-4.

The notification forms can be found under -> Downloads.

Legionella are bacteria that can cause various symptoms in humans, ranging from flu-like symptoms to severe pneumonia. They are environmental germs that are widespread worldwide and are a natural component of surface water and groundwater in small numbers.

Legionella multiply best at temperatures between 25 °C and 45 °C. Above 60 °C they are usually killed. Above 60 °C they are usually killed and below 20 °C they hardly multiply at all. Especially in the water pipes in buildings, the pathogens find good growth conditions at corresponding temperatures. Legionella can multiply particularly well in deposits and deposits in the pipe system and when drinking water consumption is low. The pathogens can be transmitted through atomized, nebulized water. The droplets containing the pathogens can spread in the air and be inhaled. Possible sources of infection include showers, whirlpools, humidifiers or taps, as well as cooling towers. There are also many other possible sources of infection.

Obligation to test

• The required testing in accordance with the TrinkwV appliesto installed hot water systems with a storage volume ≥ 400 l and a pipe capacity ≥ 3 l (definition of a large system in accordance with DVGW W 551).
• Section 16 (7) of the Drinking Water Ordinance regulates the necessary measures if the technical measure value is exceeded and refers here to the recommendations of the Federal Environment Agency, which are thus underpinned by law.
• The testing interval is defined in a differentiated manner.

The public health department offers free advice on the obligation to test for legionella.

Testing interval

Annual legionella sampling in buildings with public use

• Hospitals
• schools
• Children's facilities
• Retirement and nursing homes
• hotels
• sports facilities etc.
• are annually and

At least every 3 years Legionella sampling in properties with commercial use

• Letting

Sampling points

The samples for the tests must be taken at several representative sampling points in accordance with the generally recognized rules of technology and by an approved testing body.

Obligation to report if the technical measure value is exceeded

Test results that provethat the technical measure value ≥ 100 CFU/100ml has been exceeded must be reported to the public health department by the laboratory to be tested and by the operator and other owner of a water supply system (UsI).

Monitoring and advice by the public health department

• Risk assessment of the testresult- with any necessary on-site inspection
• Tenant information by the entrepreneur and other owner of a water supply and water extraction system
• Commissioning of a risk analysis by the entrepreneur and other owner of a water supply and water extraction system within 4 weeks and immediate submission to the public health department
• Submission of a current drinking water line diagram to the public health department in order to determine the sampling points for further testing
• Evaluation and control of the test results in the follow-up samples, in accordance with DVGW W 551

• Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV)
• Infection Protection Act (IfSG)
• Generally recognized rules of technology (a.a.R.D.T.) - DIN, DVGW, VDI
• UBA recommendations