Question 1

Isn't German tap water strictly controlled anyway?

Accepted Answer

Yes - at the handover point to the water meter, it's among the most strictly regulated drinking water in the world. But that oversight legally stops there: everything in the plumbing beyond the meter is the property owner's responsibility, not the utility's.

Question 2

Does bottled water really contain microplastics?

Accepted Answer

Independent studies, including research from Columbia University and Rutgers University as well as Öko-Test, have found several hundred thousand micro- and nanoplastic particles per litre in water from plastic bottles. Reusable and glass bottles generally test lower than single-use PET, but none are guaranteed particle-free.

Question 3

Does the ceramic filter itself release contaminants into the water?

Accepted Answer

No. Under EC Regulation 1935/2004 for food-contact materials, the ceramic material was tested for lead and cadmium leaching. Both measured values were far below the permitted limits.

Question 4

How often do I need to replace the filter balls?

Accepted Answer

Every three months if you use your earthfilter regularly. Activated carbon and zeolite have a limited binding capacity - once it's used up, they stop reliably filtering chlorine, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical residues. The ceramic filter itself needs replacing far less often.

Question 5

Why are pharmaceutical residues only measured against "guidance values" rather than legal limits?

Accepted Answer

Because Germany's drinking water regulation doesn't yet set binding legal limits for this group of substances. The figures we cite are Health-Based Guidance Values (GOW) from Germany's Federal Environment Agency - well-founded recommendations, but not a legal requirement for water utilities.

Question 6

What are filter balls?

Accepted Answer

Filter balls are small spheres of functional media that you add to the earthfilter alongside the ceramic filter. They're made of activated carbon (binds chlorine, odours, and organic contaminants), zeolite (binds heavy metals through ion exchange), and chlorine- and MPH/alkaline ceramic (further stabilise taste and pH). Together they handle the chemical filtration that the ceramic alone can't.

Question 7

How does the earthfilter work?

Accepted Answer

The earthfilter's main body is made of clay: the porous ceramic wall holds back particulate contaminants as water flows through. You also place filter balls made of activated carbon, zeolite and alkaline minerals inside the filter - the activated carbon adsorbs chlorine and organic substances, the zeolite reduces heavy metals through ion exchange, and the alkaline media release minerals and buffer the pH. Colloidal silver in the ceramic adds an antimicrobial barrier against bacteria and parasites.

Question 8

How long can I use an earthfilter for?

Accepted Answer

Under normal water use, one earthfilter lasts around two years. As a rough guide: at about 2 to 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, a household of 2-3 people gets through roughly 6 litres a day - that's around 2,190 litres a year, or about 4,380 litres over two years. The reason for replacing it: the colloidal silver in the ceramic gradually washes out over time. After about two years (or that approximate water throughput), we can no longer reliably rule out a bacterial biofilm forming on the filter surface - which is why we recommend replacing it then.

Question 9

How often do I need to clean an earthfilter?

Accepted Answer

Every three to six months, as a rule. The easiest time to do it is right when you replace the filter balls: give the ceramic filter a quick scrub with the metal brush that comes with it. That reopens the fine pores, which can gradually clog over time, and noticeably improves the flow rate again.

Question 10

What do I do if the flow rate drops sharply?

Accepted Answer

That happens occasionally and isn't a cause for concern: the ceramic's fine pores can gradually clog over time. Just give the filter a quick clean with the metal brush that comes with it - the pores reopen and the flow rate returns to normal. This is usually needed about every three to six months.

Question 11

How do I use the earthfilter?

Accepted Answer

It's simple: place the earthfilter in the water dispenser, put the filter balls in the filter, pour water in at the top, and put the lid back on. Wait a moment for it to filter through. Just don't drink the first five batches of filtered water - use them to water your plants, for example, rather than pouring them away.

Question 12

Is it safe to use an earthfilter?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The earthfilter has been independently tested by Labor Dr. Pötsch - among other things for bacteria, parasites, heavy metals, microplastics, and pharmaceutical residues. Importantly, dangerous bacteria such as E. coli are filtered out 100%. The ceramic material itself has also been tested for substance leaching under EU food-contact law (EC Regulation 1935/2004), with results far below the permitted limits. You can view all lab reports in full on our homepage.

Question 13

How many litres per hour does an earthfilter filter?

Accepted Answer

Around one litre per hour. Because the earthfilter is a handcrafted natural product, the actual flow rate can vary slightly - which is why we test every single filter's performance individually after production, before it reaches you.

Question 14

How much capacity does an earthfilter hold?

Accepted Answer

The ceramic filter itself holds 3 litres - you can top it up in the morning and evening, for example. The glass container below it holds 12 litres in total, 3 of which are taken up by the filter, leaving 9 litres of filtered water in the lower container. Of that, 6 litres can be drawn directly from the tap; the remaining 3 litres sit below tap height - just as clean, but not directly accessible through the tap.

Question 15

Does the earthfilter still work without filter balls?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with some limitations: the ceramic filter alone still reliably filters out bacteria, parasites, sand and microplastics - a purely mechanical barrier that works without the balls. Chlorine, heavy metals and pharmaceutical residues, however, are dissolved at the molecular level in water and are only reliably removed with the additional filter balls. For full filtration performance, you should always use the balls too.

Question 16

Do I need the wooden legs?

Accepted Answer

The wooden legs are already included in the earthfilter set. You can also buy the water dispenser and filter separately without the wooden legs, if you'd prefer to position your earthfilter differently. The wooden legs raise the product to just the right height to fit a tall glass underneath - without them, it becomes difficult to draw water at all.

Question 17

Does the earthfilter remove microplastics?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In independent lab testing, the earthfilter retained 99.9998% of the microplastics tested (particle size 1 to 5,000 µm).

Question 18

Does the earthfilter remove pharmaceutical residues & hormones?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Lab testing showed reductions of between 80% and over 99% for selected pharmaceutical residues, depending on the substance - including painkillers, antibiotics, and anticonvulsants. The hormones estrone, 17β-estradiol, and 17α-ethinylestradiol (such as the one used in the contraceptive pill) were also removed at rates of 99% to 99.75%.

Question 19

Does the earthfilter remove heavy metals?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Lab testing showed reductions of between 87% and over 99% across 11 tested heavy metals and trace elements, depending on the substance - including lead, copper, chromium, and mercury.

Question 20

Does the earthfilter remove chlorine?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Lab testing showed a reduction of over 99% of free and bound chlorine. After filtering, the level was just 0.04-0.05 mg/l - far below the roughly 0.6 mg/l threshold at which chlorine becomes noticeable to taste. This matters especially if you're coming from - or spend time in - countries like France or the US: tap water there is typically chlorinated much more heavily than in Germany, which often shows up in the taste.

Question 21

Does the earthfilter remove bacteria?

Accepted Answer

Yes! In lab testing, the dangerous bacterium E. coli was removed 100% at every concentration tested.

Question 22

Does the earthfilter remove parasites?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Lab testing showed 100% retention of parasites such as Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium, and Entamoeba histolytica.

Frequently Asked Questions

What the earthfilter removes

Water quality & tap water

Microplastics

Maintenance & filter changes

Product & materials