Know what flows from your tap: germs, metals and water hardness, measured in a laboratory
The Medivere drinking water analysis lets you take a sample of your tap water at home. GANZIMMUN's laboratory in Mainz tests it for germs, heavy and light metals, minerals and water hardness, and you receive a written report (in German). Shipping to Austria and Germany only.
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Lead, copper, nickel and more
Aluminium, antimony, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, nickel and zinc. Older pipes and fittings can release metals into the water; the lab measures each one individually.
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Five microbiological markers
Escherichia coli, coliform bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the colony count at 22 °C and 36 °C, which together describe the hygiene of the water in your pipes.
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Minerals and hardness in °dH
Calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and phosphorus. Calcium and magnesium determine the water hardness, given in German degrees: soft below 8.4, medium 8.4 to 14, hard above 14 °dH.
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A real lab, not test strips
Instead of comparing colour charts, your sample goes to an accredited laboratory, where germs are cultured on growth media and metals are measured as exact values.
You have moved into an older flat, come home after three weeks away, or had the plumbing redone. At some point the question comes up: what is actually coming out of my tap? Public supply water is checked regularly, but the last stretch through the pipes inside the building is something you simply cannot see.
That last stretch is what this analysis looks at. You fill the sample tubes at the tap you normally drink from and post them off. The laboratory determines germs, metals and minerals, 21 values in total, so you can see in black and white whether your water is unremarkable or whether the plumbing deserves a closer look.
Medivere is a laboratory testing provider from Mainz working with GANZIMMUN's laboratory. Because you take the sample yourself rather than an accredited sampler, the result is an indicative analysis. It is not intended for authorities or courts, but it gives you a sound basis for your own assessment.
📊 The analysis by the numbers
21
values: 5 germs, 15 elements, water hardness
~10
working days from lab receipt to report
3
guides: supplier, plumbing, single tap
4–25 °C
storage temperature of the unopened kit
📋 How the test works
1. Take the sample: Take all samples from the same tap, ideally the one you use for drinking and cooking water. The exact procedure depends on your question and is described in the matching guide (PDF, German): supplier, household plumbing or single tap.
2. Send it off: Label each tube with the enclosed stickers, fill in the sample form and post everything in the prepaid envelope.
3. Get your report: About 10 working days after the lab receives the sample, by post or online via medivere's results portal (in German).
Kit contents:
Sample tubes for drinking water · labels · sample form · prepaid return envelope
Product name: medivere Trinkwasseranalyse Ernährung, kit for taking a drinking water sample (item no. 140010DE)
Intended use: Taking a tap water sample at home and indicative laboratory analysis in the partner lab for contamination germs, heavy and light metals, phosphorus and water hardness
Testing laboratory: MVZ GANZIMMUN GmbH, Erich-Dombrowski-Straße 8, 55127 Mainz, Germany
Contents: 1 test kit (sampling material for 1 water sample, laboratory analysis included)
Supplier, plumbing or single tap: which guide fits?
How the sample is taken depends on what you want to find out. To check the water as delivered by the supplier, follow the "supplier" guide. If your concern is the pipes inside the building, for example after renovation, choose "household plumbing". If you suspect one particular tap, use the "single tap" guide. The differences lie in the steps before sampling; the details are in the linked PDFs.
What does the report show?
The report lists the germs, metals and minerals tested with their measured values and states the water hardness in °dH. The sample report (PDF, German) shows what it looks like. If a value stands out, your plumber, landlord or water supplier is the right contact.
⚠️ Important information: Read the guide before sampling. For taking a tap water sample for analysis in the partner laboratory only. You take the sample yourself rather than an accredited sampler as required by drinking water regulations, so this is an indicative analysis without official or legal recognition. Only water of drinking water quality can be analysed: cloudy or discoloured water or water with undissolved particles (e.g. from wells or ponds) cannot be tested. Sale and shipping to Austria and Germany only; returning the sample to the laboratory is only intended from these countries.
📦 Storage: Store at 4 to 25 °C, dry and away from sunlight. Do not use if the packaging is damaged.
💬 Frequently asked questions
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Why only Austria and Germany?+
After sampling, the tubes go straight to the laboratory in Mainz. The enclosed return envelope is only intended for use from Austria and Germany, which is why we sell and ship the kit to these two countries only.
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When is a water analysis worth doing?+
Common reasons are an older building with old pipes, moving into a new home, pipe repairs or replacements, taps that have not been used for a while, or a holiday home after the winter break. If you simply want to know how hard your water is, you get a measured value too.
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Can I send in well water?+
The test is designed for tap water of drinking water quality. Water that is cloudy, discoloured or contains undissolved particles, as is common with well or pond water, cannot be analysed by the lab.
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How and when will I get my report?+
About 10 working days after the laboratory receives your sample, by post or online via medivere's results portal. The report is in German. Microbiological tests take a while because the germs first have to grow on culture media.
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Does it replace an official water test?+
No. An official test requires an accredited sampler. Here you take the sample yourself, so the result is an indicative analysis for your own assessment, for example as a starting point for a conversation with your landlord or plumber.
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A value stands out. What now?+
Contact your plumbing company, especially if pipes were recently repaired or replaced. In rented property the landlord is responsible; for questions about the water supplied, ask your water utility. The report helps everyone involved look for the cause in a targeted way.
Image note: The application image (sample at the tap) is illustrative and was created with AI.
Responsible person (GPSR, EU 2023/988) & manufacturer: medivere GmbH · Hans-Böckler-Straße 111 · 55128 Mainz · Germany · info@medivere.de
Testing laboratory: MVZ GANZIMMUN GmbH · Erich-Dombrowski-Straße 8 · 55127 Mainz · Germany.
