Attention! Things to consider: How dangerous is tap water?

If you plan to drink the tap water later, Mend says it’s a good idea to refrigerate it. Because at low temperatures in the dark, bacteria multiply more slowly than at room temperature and in daylight. Mend says the best way to drink water is glass, clay, or ceramic. Or – on the go – from stainless steel bottles. “They’re opaque and the water stays cold longer.”

Mend says it’s dangerous to drink warm water from the cauldron. Because you don’t know how long the line is left and when the contents of the cauldron were last used. This means that you can only drink water from the tap at the coldest level. For those who want hot water directly from the tap or need it for cooking, Mend recommends installing a Quooker. This private home system, which costs more than 1,500 francs, allows 100-degree hot water to flow directly from the faucet.

Direct-tap filter systems and pitcher-shaped table water filters are booming in Switzerland. If you don’t take good care of them and don’t replace filter cartridges regularly, you run the risk of pathogens and microorganisms multiplying in them, giving the water a bad taste. Mend recommends stainless steel filter systems that do not require plastic, electrical or chemical additives. In addition to filters made of activated carbon and zeolites, some stainless steel models are equipped with other elements, such as a steel-silver mesh, and therefore keep microbes one hundred percent.

Mend says she doesn’t go on vacation without activated charcoal sticks. A stick thrown into a water bottle neutralizes unpleasant odors such as chlorine and replenishes tap water with minerals. Japanese monks used this method in the early 17th century to purify drinking water. And to protect yourself from poisoning.

The water from the drinking water fountains looks fresh in the mouth, Mend says. “But that says nothing about its quality.” He compares the homemade “Blöterliwasser” to a repainted old car. “It looks better, but it’s still old.” In places above 1,500 meters above sea level, there is no real need for spring water like running water from a tap. “It lives even without additional enrichment.”