Tap Water in Germany: Can You Drink Leitungswasser, and How Do You Ask for It?
Yes, tap water in Germany is safe to drink. Leitungswasser is regulated by the Trinkwasserverordnung (Drinking Water Ordinance), and the Federal Environment Agency rates its quality as good to very good. Two exceptions: water that has stood in old pipes for hours, and hot tap water, which you should not use for drinking or cooking.
Restaurants are a different story. Many will bring you mineral water and charge for it unless you ask specifically for tap water, and some do not serve tap water at all. Below: what the rules say, how to order exactly what you want, and the German words for every kind of water.
Is tap water in Germany safe to drink?
The Umweltbundesamt (UBA), the Federal Environment Agency, reports on the water from larger suppliers. For the period 2020 to 2022 it found that, apart from a few pesticide substances, almost all microbiological and chemical parameters met the limits in more than 99% of cases. Local health offices (Gesundheitsämter) monitor the suppliers, and your supplier has to publish information about your water quality, usually on its website.
Most problems do not come from the public network but from the last few metres: the pipes inside the building. These are the responsibility of the building owner, not the water company.
Three things to watch at home
1. Water that has been standing. The UBA advises not to drink water that has stood in the pipes for four hours or longer, for example overnight or after a holiday. Let the cold tap run until the water feels noticeably cooler, then drink. Use the first water for plants or cleaning.
2. Hot tap water. Water in hot water systems often stays in the pipes longer. The UBA recommends filling cooking pots from the cold tap. So for tea, pasta or baby food: cold tap, then boil it.
3. Old lead pipes. Lead pipes are a risk in some very old buildings. Under the Trinkwasserverordnung, lead drinking-water pipes had to be removed or shut down by 12 January 2026, and their use has been banned since then. If you live in an old building and are unsure, ask your landlord. If the answer is not satisfactory, the local health office can tell you how to have your water tested. The UBA also points to the landlord and the health office as the contacts when you suspect poor water quality in general.
This is general information, not medical advice. If you have specific health concerns (for example for a newborn or a weakened immune system), ask your doctor or the local Gesundheitsamt. In an emergency, call 112.
Hard water (hartes Wasser)
In many regions the tap water is hard, meaning it contains a lot of calcium and magnesium. You see it as white spots on glasses and limescale (der Kalk) in the kettle. It is not a health problem; it affects the taste a little and means you descale your kettle more often. Your supplier publishes the hardness level (der Härtegrad) for your area.
Asking for tap water in a restaurant
There is no general legal duty for German restaurants to serve tap water for free. The EU drinking water directive asks member states to encourage free or low-cost tap water in restaurants, but it does not oblige restaurants to provide it, and German restaurant associations have opposed making it mandatory. As of October 2026, it is up to each restaurant.
That is why water in German restaurants usually means bottled mineral water, ordered and paid for like any other drink. If you just say Wasser, bitte, the waiter will often ask Mit oder ohne Kohlensäure? (sparkling or still?) and bring a bottle.
How to ask for tap water in German
| German | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ein Glas Leitungswasser, bitte. | A glass of tap water, please. | clear and polite |
| Könnte ich bitte ein Glas Leitungswasser bekommen? | Could I get a glass of tap water, please? | softer, with könnte |
| Haben Sie auch Leitungswasser? | Do you also have tap water? | good if you are not sure they serve it |
| Eine Karaffe Leitungswasser für den Tisch, bitte. | A jug of tap water for the table, please. | |
| Kostet das Leitungswasser etwas? | Does the tap water cost anything? | fine to ask |
| Nur Leitungswasser, bitte, kein Mineralwasser. | Just tap water, please, not mineral water. |
The polite könnte form is explained in Konjunktiv II for polite requests.
What to expect: many places bring it free, some charge a small amount (look for Leitungswasser on the menu), and some decline, especially if you order nothing else. Practice varies a lot from place to place, so asking is always fine.
Model dialogue: ordering water
Kellnerin: Was darf ich Ihnen zu trinken bringen?
Sie: Ich hätte gern ein Glas Leitungswasser, bitte.
Kellnerin: Leitungswasser haben wir leider nicht. Wir haben aber Mineralwasser, still oder mit Kohlensäure.
Sie: Okay, dann eine Flasche stilles Wasser, bitte.
Kellnerin: Gern. 0,25 oder 0,75?
Sie: 0,75 für den Tisch, bitte. Und vier Gläser.
Waitress: What can I bring you to drink? / You: I’d like a glass of tap water, please. / Waitress: I’m afraid we don’t serve tap water. But we have mineral water, still or sparkling. / You: Okay, then a bottle of still water, please. / Waitress: Sure. 0.25 or 0.75? / You: 0.75 for the table, please. And four glasses.
Null Komma fünfundzwanzig and null Komma fünfundsiebzig are litres: the small bottle and the large one.
A second dialogue: free water is fine
Sie: Entschuldigung, könnten wir noch eine Karaffe Leitungswasser bekommen?
Kellner: Natürlich, kommt sofort.
Sie: Vielen Dank!
You: Excuse me, could we get another jug of tap water? / Waiter: Of course, coming right up. / You: Thank you very much!
More restaurant phrases, from booking a table to paying separately, are in ordering at a German restaurant. If you work in a restaurant yourself, the staff side is covered in German for waiters and restaurant staff.
Practise ordering out loud
Most learners know Leitungswasser when they read it, then hesitate when the waiter is standing at the table. SipLingo has 200+ everyday scenarios, from the bakery to the doctor, where you speak with an AI partner, get instant corrections of grammar and word order explained in your own language, and a score for fluency and intonation. Practise restaurant German by voice.
Still or sparkling: the water words
| German | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| das Leitungswasser | tap water | from die Leitung (pipe) |
| das Trinkwasser | drinking water | also the legal term |
| das Mineralwasser | mineral water | usually bottled |
| das Wasser mit Kohlensäure | sparkling water | |
| das Sprudelwasser / der Sprudel | sparkling water | common especially in the southwest |
| das Wasser ohne Kohlensäure | still water | |
| das stille Wasser | still water | ein stilles Wasser, bitte |
| medium | lightly sparkling | printed on bottles: Medium or mit wenig Kohlensäure |
| das Tafelwasser | table water | a manufactured water, not the same as mineral water |
| die Kohlensäure | carbonation, CO2 | |
| die Karaffe | jug, carafe | |
| die Flasche | bottle | |
| das Glas | glass | |
| der Wasserhahn | tap, faucet | |
| der Trinkbrunnen | drinking fountain | |
| der Wasserspender | water dispenser | in offices, schools |
| der Kalk | limescale | |
| das Gesundheitsamt | local health office |
What is stilles Wasser? It means “quiet water”: still, without bubbles. Ein stilles Wasser, bitte gets you a bottle of still mineral water, not tap water. Sparkling water is very popular in Germany, so if you want still, say so.
Phrases at home and at work
- Kann man das Wasser hier trinken? (Can you drink the water here?)
- Ist das Trinkwasser? (Is that drinking water?) – useful at fountains and in public toilets.
- Das Wasser schmeckt komisch. (The water tastes strange.)
- Das Wasser ist braun / trüb. (The water is brown / cloudy.)
- Gibt es in diesem Haus noch Bleileitungen? (Are there still lead pipes in this building?)
If you need to report a water problem in your flat, the email patterns in reporting a problem to your landlord work here too.
Short message to your landlord
Betreff: Frage zu den Wasserleitungen – Wohnung [Nummer], [Straße]
Sehr geehrte Frau [Name],
seit [Datum] ist das Wasser aus dem Hahn in meiner Küche morgens leicht braun und schmeckt metallisch. Können Sie mir bitte sagen, ob es im Haus noch alte Leitungen gibt? Und könnten Sie das bitte prüfen lassen?
Vielen Dank und freundliche Grüße
[Ihr Name]
Subject: Question about the water pipes – flat [number], [street]. Dear Ms [Name], since [date] the water from the kitchen tap has been slightly brown in the mornings and tastes metallic. Could you please tell me whether there are still old pipes in the building? And could you please have it checked? Many thanks and kind regards, [Your name].
Free water on the go: Refill stations
Germany has a national initiative called Refill Deutschland. Cafés, shops and public buildings that take part show a blue Refill sticker and fill your own bottle with tap water for free. Cities also run public drinking fountains (Trinkbrunnen), especially in summer. According to the City of Heidelberg, there are more than 8,000 Refill stations nationwide. Look for the sticker, or ask: Darf ich hier meine Flasche mit Leitungswasser auffüllen? (May I fill my bottle with tap water here?)
Austria and Switzerland
Tap water is also widely drunk in Austria and Switzerland, and in many Austrian cafés a glass of water traditionally comes with your coffee. Restaurant practice and any charges vary from place to place, just as in Germany, so ask the same way. Some public fountains in all three countries are marked Kein Trinkwasser (not drinking water); never drink from those.
Can you drink hot tap water in Germany?
You should not drink it or cook with it. Hot water stays longer in the pipes and in the boiler, which can affect its quality. Always take cold water and heat it in the kettle or pot.
Checked in October 2026 against the Umweltbundesamt (drinking water quality 2020–2022, stagnant water, hot water, lead pipe ban), the City of Heidelberg (Refill Deutschland) and press reports on the EU drinking water directive and the German restaurant debate.
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- Umweltbundesamt (UBA): German tap water rated ‘very good’ (UBA, German) – Federal report: over 99.9% of samples meet strict drinking-water limits
- Verbraucherzentrale: Is tap water safe to drink? (German) – Tap water safety, lead pipes, stagnant water tips and cost vs bottled
Frequently asked questions
Can you drink tap water in Germany?
Yes. Tap water in Germany is strictly controlled and the Federal Environment Agency rates it as good to very good. After it has stood in the pipes for four hours or more, let the cold tap run until the water is cooler.
How do you ask for tap water in German (Leitungswasser bestellen)?
Say Ein Glas Leitungswasser, bitte or, more softly, Könnte ich bitte ein Glas Leitungswasser bekommen? Saying only Wasser usually gets you a bottle of mineral water.
Why isn’t water free in German restaurants?
There is no legal duty to serve free tap water, and restaurants argue that drinks are a key part of their income. Many places do serve tap water, sometimes free and sometimes for a small charge; ask.
What is “stilles Wasser”?
Still water, without carbonation, usually bottled mineral water. Sparkling is mit Kohlensäure or Sprudel.
Can you drink hot tap water in Germany?
No, it is not recommended. The UBA advises using cold tap water for drinking and cooking and heating it yourself.
Next time you sit down in a German café, order your water in one full German sentence.
