Expert explains: How to stay healthy - This rule protects against dangerous tap water

Expert explains: How to stay healthy - This rule protects against dangerous tap water

According to a report by www.merkur.de,

The water quality in Germany is very good. However, you should pay attention to one thing with tap water - otherwise it can be harmful to your health. The consumer advice center recommends that you allow tap water to drain for some time if the tap was last used more than four hours ago.

The stagnant water in the pipes can contain harmful germs such as legionella or bisphenol A, which can lead to infections or other health problems. To prevent this, the consumer advice center recommends letting the water run for a while before drinking. This “4-hour rule” is intended to ensure that tap water is safe to drink.

The implications of this recommendation are double-edged. On the one hand, using the 4-hour rule can protect consumers' health by removing potentially dangerous germs from water. On the other hand, long-term draining of water can lead to waste, especially during times when water is scarce.

This measure may also have political implications, as the fight for water supplies has already begun in some areas of Germany. It can lead to resentment that private households have to ration water while industry continues to have free access to water supplies.

Overall, given water scarcity and water quality concerns, it is important that consumers be conscious about water use and make decisions that take both their health and resource availability into account.