Wassertipps Baby&Familie
Every pack of infant formula says: prepare with water.
But is the water from your tap suitable for it?
The answer is in your supplier's drinking water analysis – a PDF full of numbers, limit values and technical terms. Even if you find it, you often still don't know what the values mean for your own child. This is exactly where Wassertipps Baby&Familie comes in.
Built completely from scratch
We have developed this app completely anew, focusing on the things that matter for the health of young families. Water hardness will return in a later update – then also from the perspective of young families. It becomes relevant as soon as water softeners and filter jugs come into play, both of which have their pitfalls when preparing infant formula.
How the app works
Find your location
The app determines your water supply area – down to the street, not just by postcode. This matters because in many cities the water comes from different sources depending on the district.
See the values
You see the current nitrate and sodium levels exactly as published by your water supplier.
Precisely for where you live.
Understand what they mean
The app tells you clearly what the value means – and whether or not you need to take action. More important water parameters will be added in upcoming updates.
Why nitrate and sodium first?
For adults, German tap water within the legal limits is safe. For infants, however, stricter recommendations apply – especially in the first six months of life, when bottle feeds are prepared with tap water and the water is practically the only source of fluid.
Nitrate comes mainly from agriculture and varies greatly from region to region. For preparing infant formula, a level below 10 mg/l is recommended – well below the legal limit of 50 mg/l.
Sodium is the second component of table salt. Infant kidneys cannot yet excrete salt well, which is why the recommendation here is a maximum of 20 mg/l.
The app keeps track of both values for you, without you having to calculate or research anything yourself.
What else the app offers
In addition to the two water values and what they mean, Wassertipps Baby&Familie offers further information about the first months of life:
- Practical tips for preparing bottle feeds
- Nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding or bottle – both options explained without judgement
- Complementary foods: when, what, and what to watch out for
- Growth and weight: what percentiles really tell you
- Answers to common misconceptions – for example: boiling does not remove nitrate
- Why nitrate-rich vegetables such as spinach are not a problem for your child
Based on official recommendations
The assessments in the app follow the requirements of the German Drinking Water Ordinance (Trinkwasserverordnung) and the recommendations of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). We also take the current state of research into account. This includes in particular the now well-established finding that it makes a difference which source the ingested nitrate comes from.
In recent years, several studies have been published that found a direct link between nitrate intake from drinking water and the development of colorectal cancer, while finding no link at all with nitrate from vegetables and salad. Although further research is needed, this currently gives some reassurance regarding vegetables, whereas drinking water deserves a closer look.
All sources are linked in the app.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the values come from?
From the published drinking water analyses of public water suppliers, which we continuously evaluate, check and update as needed. Private household wells and other self-supply systems are not included, as their water is not regularly tested and published.
How up to date is the data?
Water suppliers publish their analyses at least once a year. The values in the app are snapshots. For suppliers that blend water from several sources, they can fluctuate over the course of the year. The app shows you when we last updated the data for your location.
Does the app replace a water analysis of my own?
No. The app shows the values of the water your supplier feeds into the network. What happens in your building's plumbing cannot be reflected by it.
What about lead and copper?
These mainly originate in the building's plumbing, i.e. beyond the point up to which the supplier measures. For this reason, we cannot display them. In the app we explain what you can watch out for instead, for example letting stagnant water run off before use. In an older building with unknown pipework, having your own analysis done is advisable.
Is the app also available in other countries?
The app is currently only available in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. We will unlock further countries with upcoming updates.
Cost
The values for the location where you install the app are permanently free, with no registration and no hidden costs. Later, it will be possible to unlock additional locations, which is useful when on holiday or visiting family, for example.
Also in preparation is a calculator that determines daily fluid intake – and with it the intake of nitrate and sodium – depending on age and body weight, based on the recommendations of the WHO and the German Nutrition Society (DGE).
Help the app keep growing
We compile the nitrate and sodium values in Wassertipps Baby & Familie ourselves – supply area by supply area, from the publications of water suppliers across Europe. To make sure the information is accurate, we check and update it regularly. This takes a lot of time, and so far we have been investing it without any funding.
With your support, we can keep the data up to date, add further water values that matter to families, and continue developing the app.
The basic features remain free. Your support is voluntary and does not unlock anything – it simply helps us keep going. Thank you very much!
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Download the app
Free for the place where you live. No registration required.
