Chlorine in Offenbach's drinking water: no danger to health

Offenbach gets its drinking water from the "Zweck-Verband Wasser-Versorgung Stadt und Kreis Offenbach" (ZWO). To ensure that there will continue to be enough drinking water in Offenbach in the future, the water has also been coming from Hessenwasser since August 2025. This water contains small amounts of chlorine. Chlorine is a chemical. Chlorine is used to make the water clean. For example, in swimming pools or in drinking water. Permitted is 0.3 milligrams of chlorine per liter of drinking water. 0.3 milligrams of chlorine is the limit value. More chlorine is not allowed in the water. That's what the law says. In Offenbach it is only 0.1 milligrams. That is very low and well below the limit.

Some people in Offenbach have smelled or tasted the chlorine in their drinking water. They were worried. Mayor Sabine Groß understands people's concerns. She says that water is a very important foodstuff. But the water is not dangerous to health.

The public health department tests the water regularly. The state of Hesse, the federal government and the European Union also check the values. In the Nordend and Westend parts of the city, there is almost no chlorine left in the water.

The water was also tested for other substances. All values are below the permitted limits. The head of the health department says: "The drinking water in Offenbach is safe. Even pregnant women, children and old people can drink it.