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Water Glossary

The dropvital Water Glossary explains key terms related to drinking water, water filters, limescale, PFAS, TFA, microplastics, and contaminant filtration. The brief explanations help you better understand water quality and easily make sense of technical terms related to modern water treatment.

B D G H K L M O P Q R T U V W

B

Non-potable water

Non-potable water is not intended for drinking or cooking. It is used for technical and household purposes such as flushing toilets, watering the garden, cleaning, or, in some cases, the washing machine, depending on its quality and local regulations.

D

Distilled Water

Distilled water is water that has been largely stripped of dissolved salts, minerals, and particles through evaporation and subsequent condensation. It has very low electrical conductivity and is chemically very pure.

G

Filtered water

Filtered water is tap water or raw water that has been treated using technical barriers or filter media. This process can reduce unwanted substances such as particles, germs, selected trace substances, or certain taste and odor compounds.

Greywater

Greywater is slightly to moderately contaminated wastewater from showers, bathtubs, sinks, or washing machines. It contains no fecal matter and, after appropriate treatment, can be used as non-potable water.

H

Hardness

Water hardness describes the degree of water hardness, i.e., the concentration of dissolved calcium and magnesium ions. It is classified as soft, medium, or hard and is particularly relevant for household use, technology, and scale formation.

Home Water Filter

A home water filter is a system installed at the building’s water inlet that treats the incoming tap water for the entire building. It protects plumbing, appliances, and fixtures and ensures a consistent baseline water quality all the way to the faucets.

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K

Calcium and Magnesium Content

Calcium and magnesium content describes the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds in the water. It is directly related to water hardness and affects limescale buildup, household appliances, and, to some extent, taste.

L

Food Contact Compliance

Food contact compliance means that materials, products, and processes that come into contact with food or drinking water meet legal, hygienic, and chemical requirements.

Tap Water

Tap water is treated water from the public water supply system that is distributed to individual households. It is subject to legal limits and is regularly tested.

M

Mineral Content

Mineral content refers to the total amount of dissolved minerals in the water, such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, sulfate, or chloride. It influences taste, water hardness, and technical properties.

Mineral Water

Mineral water is natural water from a protected underground source. It is bottled close to the spring and has a characteristic composition of minerals and trace elements.

O

Reverse Osmosis Water

Reverse osmosis water is water that has been treated using a very fine membrane filtration process. This process significantly reduces the levels of many dissolved substances, salts, particles, and certain trace elements.

P

pH

The pH value describes how acidic, neutral, or alkaline water is. It affects taste, corrosion behavior, scale formation, and the chemical stability of the water.

Q

Spring water

Spring water comes from a natural, underground spring and is bottled close to the source. It is naturally pure and has a stable, though less strictly defined, composition than mineral water.

R

Rainwater treatment

Rainwater treatment refers to the technical processing of collected rainwater so that it can be used as non-potable water. Typical applications include garden irrigation, toilet flushing, or cleaning.

T

Bottled Water

Bottled water is artificially produced drinking water. It is usually made from tap water or treated water and may be enriched with minerals, salts, and carbon dioxide.

Bottled Water System

A table water production system is a technical system for producing table water. Treated water is cooled, carbonated, and, if necessary, remineralized to achieve a consistent taste profile.

Drinking water

Trinkwasser ist Wasser von einer Qualität, die für den Konsum, das Kochen und die Lebensmittelzubereitung geeignet ist. Es muss mikrobiologisch, chemisch und sensorialisch sicher sein.

Drinking Water Analysis

A drinking water analysis is the professional testing of water samples for microbiological, chemical, physical, and sensory parameters. It determines whether water is suitable for drinking.

Drinking Water Treatment

Drinking water treatment encompasses all technical steps involved in transforming raw water into drinking water that is hygienically, chemically, and sensorially sound.

Drinking Water Filters

A drinking water filter is a system that selectively removes unwanted substances immediately before use. The goal is to ensure consistent taste, reliable hygiene, and drinking-water-quality at the tap.

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Drinking Water Quality

Drinking water quality describes the microbiological, chemical, physical, and sensory condition of water intended for human consumption.

German Drinking Water Ordinance

The German Drinking Water Ordinance establishes requirements for the microbiological, chemical, physical, and sensory quality of drinking water and regulates monitoring, obligations, and measures to be taken in the event of deviations.

Swiss Drinking Water Ordinance

Swiss regulations on drinking water quality define requirements for microbiological, chemical, physical, and sensory parameters, as well as the obligations of water suppliers and monitoring requirements.

U

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis is a membrane process in which water is forced under pressure through a very fine membrane. This process significantly reduces the levels of many dissolved substances, salts, and certain trace elements.

V

Water Distribution Network / House Connection

The water distribution network transports drinking water from the water treatment plant to the household connection. The quality of the water at the tap then also depends on the household plumbing, materials, stagnation, and maintenance.

W

Water Treatment

Water treatment involves technical processes that transform raw water into drinking water or process water that meets hygienic, chemical, and sensory standards.

Water Treatment System

A water treatment system is a comprehensive technical solution for treating raw water or tap water so that it meets the desired hygienic, chemical, and sensory requirements.

Water Filter

A water filter is a technical system that selectively removes unwanted substances from water. Depending on the system, these may include particles, germs, trace substances, and substances that affect taste and odor.

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Water Filtration System

A water filtration system is a complete, multi-stage treatment unit designed to selectively reduce unwanted substances in water, ranging from particles and germs to trace substances.

Water Hardness

Water hardness describes the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions in water. It affects limescale buildup, detergent usage, and, to some extent, taste, but poses no health risks.