The public water supply works are responsible for the processing of drinking water. Based on strict laws and under constant monitoring the water is delivered in high quality to our houses. But what happens with the water once it enters our house? Who is responsible for the water quality?
As soon as the water enters the building through the water supply line, the responsibility for it is with the owner of the facility. The installations and water pipes have to be controlled, maintained and replaced autonomously by the proprietor of the building. The monitoring of the public water supply is not effective for the consumer if the water pipe system in his building is old and even may release pollutants into the water. Health hazardous heavy metals such as zinc, copper, cadmium or lead may be evolved from the installed pipes in the building. These contaminants originate from the pipe material of the access pipe as well from the installations throughout the whole building.
Experts recommend avoiding tap water which has lain more than four hours in the pipe for drinking and cooking. Standing water in the pipe may contain particles and residues of corrosion which shouldn’t be in the water. Compared to former times, the today’s household has much more installed faucets which mean that it also has much longer pipes in a building. That involves the risk of so called “dead pipes”. Such pipes are only used very few or even not at all, leading to a potential bacterial contamination. These bacteria may be spread through the whole pipe system of the building (even reverse flow direction) and present a health and hygienic risk to the residents.