Water & Vitality
Good water is no accident
Guides, reverse osmosis, CO2 cylinders, plastic bottles, tap water, quality, countries and regions. Plus calculators, a tracker and a quiz that run in your browser.
Aquaviana
I’m Aquaviana. I explain water so that you understand it, and I’ll help you drink better every day.
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How much water do you need today?
Weight, age, weather, activity: in ten seconds you have your guideline value in litres, in glasses and as a plan for the day.
Seven topics
From the tap to the spring
10 articles
Guides
Good water is no accident. It is a question of amount, timing, treatment and a few simple habits that anyone can learn.
Discover
6 articles
Healthy water
Your body is about 60 per cent water. Here is what it does there, which minerals count and which promises you can safely ignore.
Discover
5 articles
Reverse osmosis
A reverse osmosis system removes almost everything from the water that is not water. Whether it is worth it for you depends on your tap water, your consumption and your standards.
Discover
4 articles
CO2 cylinders
A cylinder with 425 grams of CO2 carbonates around 60 litres of water. What that costs, how to handle it safely and when a soda maker really pays off.
Discover
4 articles
Plastic bottles
Germany uses over 120 litres of bottled water per person a year, much of it in plastic. Here is what that means and how to make it easier.
Discover
5 articles
Tap water
In Germany, tap water is the most strictly controlled food. Even so, it is worth knowing what happens between the waterworks and your glass.
Discover
4 articles
Quality
Water quality can be measured. Test strips, TDS meter or laboratory: here is what each method can do and which number can put your mind at rest.
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New in the magazine
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Tap water
Can you drink tap water in Germany? Yes, with three exceptions
Tap water is the most strictly controlled food in Germany.
Healthy water
What water does in the body: seven jobs you will notice
Blood, kidneys, brain, skin, temperature, joints, digestion: water keeps all of it running.
Quality
Testing water at home: test strips, TDS meter or lab?
Three ways to check your water: test strips for 10 euros, a TDS meter for 15 and a lab test from 30.
Countries
Can I drink the tap water?
Twelve countries with a traffic light. Tap a dot and see what the locals do.
All twelve countries on the world map, Europe in detail on the left.
DrinkableWith caveatsDo not drink
Regions
How hard is the water in your city?
Guide values in German degrees (°dH), your water supplier gives the exact hardness for each street. Soft below 8.4, medium up to 14, hard above.
The quiz
Spring Spirit, Bubble Fan or Purist?
Eight questions, six types, one result with an image to share on WhatsApp, Instagram and more.
Start the quizTools
Calculate instead of guess
Water intake calculator
Weight, age, weather, activity: your personal guideline in litres and glasses.
OpenDrink tracker
Tap the glass, see your progress through the day, keep your streak. Everything stays in your browser.
OpenPlastic savings calculator
How many bottles, how much plastic, how much money and CO2 you save per year if you switch.
OpenSoda maker cost calculator
Machine, cylinder, fizz level: what a litre costs and when the soda maker pays for itself.
OpenHardness converter
Convert °dH, °fH, °e, mmol/l and ppm into one another and read off the hardness range and descaling interval.
OpenReverse osmosis calculator
System, filters and wastewater against bottled water: cost per litre and payback in months.
OpenTap water check
Eight questions about your home, pipes and region, an assessment with a traffic light and next steps.
OpenFree advice
Which filter suits your water?
Tell us where you live and what bothers you. We look at the hardness, the source and the pipes in your region and reply with an honest assessment, with no sales pitch.
- Osmosis, under-sink or no filter at all
- Soda maker and CO2 compared on cost
- A water test, when it is worth it