Measure instead of guess
Quality
Water quality can be measured. Test strips, TDS meter or laboratory: here is what each method can do and which number can put your mind at rest.
Testing
Testing water at home: test strips, TDS meter or lab?
Three ways to check your water: test strips for 10 euros, a TDS meter for 15 and a lab test from 30.
Limit values
Limit values of the German Drinking Water Ordinance: the key ones explained
Nitrate 50, lead 10, copper 2,000, uranium 10, PFAS 100: what the numbers mean, how they come about, where Germany is stricter than the EU and where mineral water is regulated more loosely..
Nitrate
Nitrate in groundwater: where it comes from, where it is high, what it means
About a quarter of groundwater monitoring points in Germany are above the limit value.
TDS
The TDS value: what it tells you, what it does not, which number is good
TDS meters are cheap and popular, and their number is constantly misread.
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