Tap water quality in Würzburg

The importance of water quality for health

The quality of drinking water has a direct impact on the health of people in Würzburg. Clean water is essential to supply the body with vital minerals and at the same time minimize the risk of illness. Contaminants such as bacteria,

heavy metals or chemical residues can cause health problems even in small quantities - from acute gastrointestinal complaints to long-term damage, such as lead from old pipes. The highest water quality is particularly essential for children, pregnant women and the elderly, as they are more sensitive to pollutants.

The German Drinking Water Ordinance ensures that limit values are adhered to, but local conditions such as very hard water quality and high nitrate levels close to the upper limit raise questions: How do these factors affect everyday life?¹

Origin and extraction of Würzburg's drinking water

Most of Würzburg's drinking water comes from natural groundwater sources, which provide the city with a reliable and high-quality supply. The Zell springs, a groundwater reservoir in the south-east of the city that is naturally filtered by geological layers of gravel and limestone, cover around 50% of the demand. This share is supplemented by other important waterworks such as the one on Mergentheimer Straße, the Galgenberg elevated tank, Grombühl II, Versbach and Zellingen. These sources draw water from deep aquifers that are protected from surface contamination and offer a high level of purity.²

The water is distributed via a well-developed network operated by Trinkwasserversorgung Würzburg GmbH (TWV). Thanks to Würzburg's favorable geological location, no complex treatment is necessary, which preserves the natural quality of the water. Nevertheless, the exact composition of the quantities pumped remains dynamic depending on demand and climatic conditions, as the WVV states in its latest reports.³

Water treatment

Water treatment in Würzburg ensures that the drinking water meets the highest quality standards by extracting it from natural groundwater sources and refining it using specific processes. Trinkwasserversorgung Würzburg GmbH (TWV), a subsidiary of Würzburger Versorgungs- und Verkehrs-GmbH (WVV), relies on minimally invasive steps to maintain the natural purity of the water. Here are the main stages of treatment:⁴

Quality assurance

The water is continuously monitored - from the source to the tap. Over 20,000 annual tests in the accredited TWV laboratory check parameters such as turbidity, pH value, conductivity and microbiological purity, supplemented by around 5,000 external checks.

The treatment remains deliberately lean in order to preserve the natural minerals such as calcium and magnesium that make the water beneficial to health. Nevertheless, high sulphate levels and occasional microbiological incidents require precise monitoring to ensure long-term drinkability.

Ingredients of the tap water in Würzburg

The Tapwater in Würzburg impresses with its high quality, guaranteed by natural groundwater filtration and minimal treatment. The composition varies depending on the elevated tank, but remains within the drinking water regulations. A critical point to note: the amount of sulphate is close to the limit value (250 mg/l) and could affect sensitive people. An equally high nitrate value (32 mg/l) indicates agricultural influences, but is below 50 mg/l. The table shows the typical values (2024).⁵

Is Tapwater drinkable in Würzburg?

The Tapwater in Würzburg is considered to be of high quality and rich in minerals. But how safe and pleasant is it really? This section examines its drinkability from various perspectives.

Legal regulations and limit values

Würzburg's drinking water meets the strict requirements of the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV), which regulates microbiological, chemical and physical parameters. Over 20,000 annual tests carried out by Trinkwasserversorgung Würzburg GmbH (TWV) confirm that the legal limits are adhered to. Nevertheless, the high sulphate value is close to the maximum, which requires long-term attention.

Taste and water hardness

The taste of Würzburg water is characterized by its very high hardness (36.3 °dH), due to high calcium and magnesium levels. This can leave a slightly chalky impression, which is not to everyone's liking. Temporary chlorination, such as in 2024, also worsens the taste of the drinking water.

Possible contamination and health effects

Despite the overall high water quality, there are a few points that consumers should keep in mind. Possible contamination and risks can occur under certain circumstances - be it due to external influences, the distribution network or the domestic installation.

Würzburg is located in an agricultural area. Nitrates can enter the groundwater through fertilization. As mentioned above, the nitrate values in Würzburg's water are below the limit value, but increased values of around 30 mg/L already show the influence of agriculture.

Nitrates themselves are harmless for adults in these concentrations; it becomes particularly problematic when they are converted to nitrite (e.g. in the bodies of infants), which can disrupt the oxygen supply in the blood. High nitrate levels are also an indicator of other agricultural residues: Where a lot of nitrate is detectable, pesticide residues or unwanted heavy metals from fertilizers and sprays are also often found.

Historical cases of contamination of tap water in Würzburg, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2024) or enterococci (2021), required chlorination in large parts of the pipe system, which continued until January 2025.⁶ In old buildings, there is a risk of lead from old pipes, which is why brief flushing is recommended after long periods of standing. 

Current cases of drinking water contamination in Würzburg and the surrounding area

• 09.12.2024 - Bacteria in Würzburg's drinking water
  Bacteria (Legionella pneumophila ) continue to contaminate Würzburg's drinking water.
  
• 15.11.2024 - Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Galgenberg elevated tank
  In November 2024, Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria were detected in the Galgenberg elevated tank, making it necessary to chlorinate the drinking water in the city of Würzburg.
• 17.09.2024 - Is a gypsum mine a danger to drinking water?
  A building materials manufacturer is planning to mine gypsum on a large scale in Lower Franconia. Conservationists warn of the impact on drinking water.
• 09.09.2021 - Boil-off order in Würzburg and Estenfeld
  Since Wednesday, around 20,000 people in and around Würzburg have had to boil their Tapwater . It is contaminated with enterococci.

These cases are exceptions, but they show that the quality of the house connection depends on the condition of your pipes. If you are unsure, you can use a water filter.

Measures to improve the tap water in Würzburg 

Use of a water filter

There are numerous benefits to using water filters. As well as improving taste, filtration can provide health benefits by removing potentially harmful substances such as lead, chlorine, pesticides and microplastics from water. This can be particularly important for households with young children, the elderly or those with weakened immune systems, and a good quality water filter can also help to reduce exposure to limescale, which not only improves taste but also extends the life of household appliances such as coffee machines and kettles.

Tips for improving the taste

In addition to using water filters, there are other ways to improve the taste of tap water:

Aerate water:
Leaving the water to stand for a few minutes allows volatile substances such as residual chlorine from the occasional treatment to escape.

Cool water:
Cold water often seems fresher and can mask slight flavor nuances that might be caused by high hardness.

Add lemon slices:
A few slices of lemon in the water can significantly improve the taste.

These measures can further enhance the quality and taste of Würzburg tap water - making it not only safe but also particularly pleasant to drink.

Conclusion

Most of the drinking water in Würzburg comes from protected sources in the surrounding area, is naturally filtered through the shell limestone rock and requires hardly any treatment. Regular checks confirm low levels of undesirable substances - with nitrate and sulphate at the upper end of the limit values .
Thanks to the minerals, the water is healthy for the body and has a balanced taste, albeit "hard" due to the lime content.

Some potential risks (such as old house pipes, agricultural inputs or rare germs) exist in individual cases. If you want to be on the safe side or want to further optimize the water quality, you can use a water filter.