... is subject to the most stringent quality specifications and controls. In Berlin, drinking water such as mineral, spring and curative water is extracted from underground water sources. The capital city is fortunate enough to be supplied with plentiful high-quality groundwater. In water protection areas, around 650 wells bring ground water to the surface, which is then piped to the waterworks. There, the proportion of iron and manganese is reduced through aeration and filtering. The clear and fresh water, free of additives and at a temperature of around 11 degrees centigrade, flows into the supply network. Its quality is closely monitored around the clock.

Thanks to its high content of magnesium and calcium, Berlin drinking water is very healthy.

... has a proven curative, soothing and preventive effect. It comes as mineral and spring water from underground water sources and has to be bottled directly at source. A litre of curative water must contain at least one gram of minerals or trace elements. In addition, curative water requires state certification.

Curative water is one of the oldest remedies and, depending on its active ingredients, can stimulate the metabolism, the circulation or organs such as the stomach, gut, heart or kidneys. Curative water is therefore a real medicine.

... is groundwater that has collected underground in an impermeable layer. Before the water gets there, it seeps through many different layers of earth and rock. In this way, the water is filtered, purified and enriched with minerals and trace elements. The speed at which it seeps is of great importance. This means: the slower the water flows, the more minerals it can absorb.

Mineral water is extracted from the underground water sources. It is bottled directly at the place of extraction – this is absolutely necessary. It is also specified by law that the composition of mineral water must not be altered. However, there are two small exceptions: iron and sulphur may be removed, and also carbon dioxide may be added or removed.

... is an “artificially" produced drink. This means it is a mixture of drinking water or mineral water and other ingredients, such as carbon dioxide, table salt or other mineral salts. There are no legal requirements for the mixing ratios. However, the provisions of directives concerning natural mineral water, spring water and table water must always be adhered to. Table water must not be marketed as natural water, as it can be mixed and bottled anywhere.

Table water, which is industrially produced, is the basis for most lemonades. Almost all original ingredients are removed from the water that will be sold as table water, and then a calculated amount of minerals is added to it. This ensures that a company’s table water will always taste exactly the same.

You’ll have to decide that for yourself! However, Berlin drinking water is unbeatable in one respect: it’s ecologically head and shoulders above the rest. While the other three varieties are bottled and sent to stand on supermarket shelves, Berlin drinking water always comes fresh and cool straight from the tap.

And water that comes straight from the tap means that expensive packaging and transport costs are made utterly redundant. Let’s put all this in numbers: Mineral water production consumes up to 1,000 times more energy than drinking water from the tap. Or put another way: Berliners could save 100,000 tonnes of CO2 each year if they were to drink tap water instead of bottled water.