Essential Water Test

When is a water test worthwhile — and how good is Dutch tap water really?

Dutch tap water is fundamentally of excellent quality. In the Netherlands, tap water is so clean and of such high quality that you can drink it straight from the tap without worrying about quality or safety. The quality of drinking water meets the set requirements in over 99.9% of all measurements.

However, what most people don't know: the tap water company is only responsible for water quality up to a building's connection point. This means that quality can deteriorate unnoticed after the water meter — for example due to stagnant water or unfavourable temperatures. From that point on, the property owner bears responsibility.

This is particularly relevant in older homes. An estimated 100,000 to 200,000 homes in the Netherlands still have lead water pipes. If you live in a house built before 1960, you may have old lead pipes for your water supply, and small particles of lead can enter your tap water through these pipes. Under current legislation, it is the owner — and therefore the landlord — who is responsible for supplying safe drinking water and must take care of the water pipes. Legionella is a key example: landlords have a legal duty of care here, with additional obligations for priority institutions such as hospitals and hotels.

But even in buildings with newer pipes, the tap fitting itself is often an overlooked source of contamination. A new tap can temporarily release lead or other metals during the first months of use — and the measurements published by water utilities only reflect the quality at the point of delivery, not at your tap.

This is why the official figures from the water companies are not necessarily meaningful for your situation at home. If you want to know the actual quality of your tap water, a water analysis at a certified laboratory is the only way to be certain. This is especially worthwhile if you use a sparkling water maker such as a SodaStream — because if you want to enjoy homemade sparkling water without hauling crates of bottles, it's worth being confident about what's actually coming out of your tap.

Order your test kit, register your analysis in the IVARIO Analysis Center, and take your sample at home — it's that simple. Send it back to the lab using your free prepaid label and receive your detailed results within days.

Learn more about the process →

Netherlands (DHL Parcel): €5.95 Dispatched within 24 hours (working days). Delivery time: 2–4 working days.

Other EU countries (DHL International Parcel): €22.95 Dispatched within 24 hours (working days). Delivery time: 2–8 working days.

Lab sample return shipping: Included in the price for orders from the Netherlands. Your prepaid return label is available in the IVARIO Analysis Center after registering your analysis.

Please note: We only ship within the European Union. For orders from Germany or Austria, please use www.ivario.com.

Manufacturer:

IVARIO Dienstleistungen GmbH, Gasstr. 12, 22761 Hamburg, Deutschland, support@ivario.com