TrinkwassermonitorTap water in Germany

Water hardness and tap water in Bergisch Gladbach

Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis, Nordrhein-Westfalen · Postcode 51427, 51429, 51465, 51467, 51469

This page is a translation of the German version; the German page is authoritative. German version · Report a translation error

Short answer: The tap water in Bergisch Gladbach has a total hardness of 12.8 °dH, hardness range “medium” (as of 2025). All tested parameters with a legal limit (17) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). Source: test report by BELKAW. WaterScore: 100 out of 100 (data coverage: 7 of 7 core parameters).

Verified drinking-water values

ParameterValueLimit (TrinkwV)Sampling dateSourceStatus
Nitrate19 mg/L
50 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Nitrite< 0.01 mg/L0.5 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
PFAS (sum)0.014 µg/L
0.1 µg/L

2025BELKAW GmbHverified
PFOA< 0.001 µg/L–2025BELKAW GmbHverified
PFOS< 0.001 µg/L–2025BELKAW GmbHverified
PFHxS< 0.001 µg/L–2025BELKAW GmbHverified
PFBS0.0043 µg/L–2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Lead< 0.0005 mg/L0.01 mg/L
2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Arsenic< 0.0005 mg/L0.01 mg/L
2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Uranium0.0002 mg/L0.01 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Mercury< 0.0001 mg/L0.001 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Copper< 0.02 mg/L2 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Chloride44 mg/L
250 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Sulphate54 mg/L
250 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Sodium24 mg/L
200 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Calcium69 mg/L–2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Magnesium14 mg/L–2025BELKAW GmbHverified
pH7.596.5–9.52025BELKAW GmbHverified
Total hardness12.8 °dH (medium)no legal limit2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Electrical conductivity565 µS/cm–2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Fluoride< 0.05 mg/L1.5 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Iron< 0.02 mg/L0.2 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Manganese< 0.001 mg/L0.05 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Ammonium< 0.05 mg/L0.5 mg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified
Trihalomethanes (THM)< 0.2 µg/L50 µg/L2025BELKAW GmbHverified

Note from the test report (in the German original): BELKAW versorgt Bergisch Gladbach aus den Wasserwerken Refrath und Holweide; da der Bedarf damit nicht vollständig gedeckt wird, wird zusätzlich Wasser von RheinEnergie zugekauft, sodass die Werte eine Mischwasser-Realität abbilden. Jahresmittelwerte der Daten aus 2025, Ausgabe 2026. Das Dokument weist keine separate Zeile 'Coliforme Bakterien' aus (daher hier nicht befüllt) – stattdessen werden E. coli (0/100ml), Enterokokken (0/100ml) sowie Koloniezahlen bei 22 °C und 36 °C (je 0/ml) berichtet. Bei den PFAS-Einzelsubstanzen ist PFBS (Perfluorbutansulfonsäure) tatsächlich nachweisbar (0,0000043 mg/l), während PFOA, PFOS und PFHxS unterhalb der Bestimmungsgrenze liegen.

Is a value wrong or out of date? Report an error – we check every report against the original source.

Water at your own tap: The values describe the water the supplier delivers – not automatically the water at your tap. The water supplier is responsible up to the service connection (Hausanschluss); the building owner is responsible for the pipes beyond it. Lead can dissolve from lead pipes, leaded solder joints or old brass fittings, especially when water has stood in the pipes for a long time (stagnant water); this mainly affects buildings constructed before about 1973. If water has stood in the pipes for several hours, let it run until it comes out cool. If you suspect lead pipes, a lead analysis of the stagnant water by an accredited laboratory will help.

Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Bergisch Gladbach, 50 % of buildings with living space were built before 1970, and a further 16 % between 1970 and 1979 (Zensus 2022, Statistisches Bundesamt, dl-de/by-2-0). (Zensus 2022) According to the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), lead pipes exist at most in houses built before 1973 – and by no means in all of them. Whether there are any in your house is known to the owner or a plumber. (UBA)

What the values mean for Bergisch Gladbach

Water hardness in Bergisch Gladbach in everyday life

At 12.8 °dH, Bergisch Gladbach is in the hardness range “medium” (soft: below 8.4 °dH, medium: 8.4–14 °dH, hard: above 14 °dH).

Baby food and low sodium: tap water in Bergisch Gladbach next to the bottled-water thresholds

Bottled water may only be labelled “suitable for preparing infant food” („geeignet für die Zubereitung von Säuglingsnahrung“) if it keeps to the maximum levels of the German Mineral and Table Water Ordinance (Mineral- und Tafelwasser-Verordnung, Annex 6). Here the published values for Bergisch Gladbach are shown next to them, each substance on its own. This is a comparison with labelling thresholds for bottled water, not a statement on whether your tap water is suitable for baby food. (Min/TafelWV, Anlage 6)

Values at the waterworks next to the maximum levels for bottled water “suitable for infant food”
SubstanceMaximum levelValue in Bergisch Gladbach
Sodium20 mg/l24 mg/l – above
Nitrate10 mg/l19 mg/l – above
Nitrite0.02 mg/lbelow the detection limit (0.01 mg/l) – not above
Sulphate240 mg/l54 mg/l – not above
Fluoride0.7 mg/lbelow the detection limit (0.05 mg/l) – not above
Manganese0.05 mg/lbelow the detection limit (0.001 mg/l) – not above
Arsenic0.005 mg/lbelow the detection limit (0.0005 mg/l) – not above
Uranium0.002 mg/l0.0002 mg/l – not above

For context: the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) considers preparing baby food with bottled water carrying this label necessary only in rare cases, for example when tap water is temporarily allowed to contain more than 50 mg/l nitrate. (UBA 2016, p. 59) Water from lead pipes in the house is always unsuitable for infants. (UBA 2020, p. 16) The values apply at the waterworks. Questions about baby food are answered by your midwife, your paediatrician and the health office (Gesundheitsamt).

Frequently asked questions about tap water in Bergisch Gladbach

Can you drink the tap water in Bergisch Gladbach?

According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (17) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). WaterScore: 100 out of 100 (data coverage: 7 of 7 core parameters). This applies to the water from the waterworks – restrictions can only arise from old household plumbing.

How hard is the water in Bergisch Gladbach?

The total hardness is 12.8 °dH – hardness range “medium”. Dose detergent for the hardness range “medium”.

Is there PFAS in the tap water in Bergisch Gladbach?

Yes, in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by BELKAW (as of 2025), the sum of PFAS-20 is 0.014 (middle of the range given by the supplier) µg/l – that is 14 % of the limit of 0.1 µg/l, which has applied since 12 January 2026.

Do I need to filter my tap water in Bergisch Gladbach?

Based on the verified supplier values, a filter is not necessary. It can make sense if you do not like the taste. If you suspect lead pipes in an old building, a filter does not help; a laboratory analysis at the tap does – that is a question of the household plumbing, not of the water leaving the works.

WaterScore

Data coverage: 7 of 7 core parameters. Missing parameters are neither estimated nor counted as harmless: the score is based only on the values available. It is not a health assessment and says nothing about the water beyond the service connection. Methodology v3: how we calculate the WaterScore.

Evidence: cite and check

Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2025): Tap water in Bergisch Gladbach. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 2025; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/bergisch-gladbach/

JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=bergisch-gladbach

Data as of: 2025 · verified: 25 of 25 evaluated parameters.

This page shows only verified test data with sources, or states explicitly where data is missing (no estimated values). Cite as: “Trinkwassermonitor (2026). Tap water in Bergisch Gladbach. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/bergisch-gladbach/.”

Further information