Bad Nauheim established first mineral water criteria in 1911

In September 1911, scientists met in Bad Nauheim, Germany, to establish the first scientific criteria for defining mineral water. These regulations, known as the Nauheimer Beschlüsse, were developed to standardize the classification of waters as the bottling and trade of mineral water expanded alongside the growth of health resorts.

Key participants included chemist Leo Grünhut and geologist Richard Lepsius. The discussions covered thermal springs, medicinal uses, radioactivity, carbon dioxide content, and sales regulations. Under the 1911 rules, mineral water was defined as water containing more than 1 gram of dissolved solids per kilogram. Other specific criteria were set for radon, carbon dioxide, and temperature.

Experts note that these thresholds were based on the natural occurrence of components in water rather than experimental evidence of their pharmacological activity. While these standards influenced water classification for decades, including in Poland, they have since been modified and replaced by different modern scientific definitions.