Water Analysis

We also offer our analytical expertise as a service to companies, municipalities, authorities, research facilities and private customers.

Our Laboratory Services at a Glance:

• We advise you on water quality and drinking water installations. 
• We test drinking water for legionella.
• We test your wells. 
• We check the likelihood of corrosion in your drinking water systems.
• We test groundwater and surface water.
• We analyse wastewater and sludge.
• We assess chemicals and substances.
• We undertake toxicity estimations.
• We have specially equipped vehicles with which we take water samples from static waters and running waters as well as pumped samples from aquifers or wastewater samples.
• We conduct quality assurance audits.

Lead analysis

The entire public drinking water network of Berlin is free from lead pipes. However, the water[SO1]  can flow through old lead pipes in the final metres before your water tap – for example, in unrenovated or partly renovated buildings. Our lead analysis clarifies the situation.

Our accredited laboratory conducts a lead analysis of your water sample for you. We charge 14.28 euros (incl. 19% VAT) for the lead analysis.

We pay the cost of a lead analysis as a once-only offer for Berlin households in which pregnant women or babies up to the age of twelve months live. To prove your eligibility, please submit to us your maternity record or your child’s birth certificate together with your application.

Laboratory

Legionella prevention

Housing companies, landlords and property managers are obliged to provide their tenants with safe drinking water. That is what the Drinking Water Ordinance requires. You can ensure this with our comprehensive “Drinking water system check”.

Landlords of multi-dwelling buildings must test their drinking water installation regularly for legionella. Landlords of multi-dwelling buildings must check this regularly. Since December 2012, the Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV) specifies new rules for protection against legionella.

As an owner and operator you must have your drinking water installation* tested for legionella:

• if you operate a large system for domestic hot water heating and distribute the drinking water to other users within the scope of a commercial or public activity, for example, to kindergartens or rented apartments;
• if there are showers, air-conditioning systems or other equipment in which water is finely sprayed and can be breathed in by people in apartments or houses that you let as the owner.

*Installations without aerosol-forming equipment are not subject to the general test obligation. These include business properties in which only toilets and washrooms exist.

Small and large system? Find out about the difference

Small systems are systems with...

• storage domestic water heaters or central instantaneous domestic water heaters,
• a volume ≤ 400 litres and a volume ≤ 3 litres in each pipe between the outlet at the domestic water heater and the point of use (a possibly existing circulation pipe is not taken into consideration).
• Detached and semi-detached houses are also counted as small systems - even if the volumes in the pipes are higher.  

Large systems are systems with  ...

• storage domestic water heaters or central instantaneous domestic water heaters
• a volume ≥ 400 litres and/or a volume ≥ 3 litres in each pipe between the outlet at the domestic water heater and the point of use  (e.g. in:  residential buildings, hotels, retirement and care homes, hospitals, sports and industrial facilities, swimming pools