Water hardness and tap water in Bocholt
Kreis Borken, Nordrhein-Westfalen · Postcode 46395, 46397, 46399
This page is a translation of the German version; the German page is authoritative. German version · Report a translation error
- Limits of the Drinking Water OrdinancemetAll tested parameters (10), at the waterworks
- Water hardness13.5 °dH, mediumNo legal limit, only a range
- Data coverageCore parameters: 3 of 7Score provisional
Verified drinking-water values
Note from the test report (in the German original): BEW · Bocholter Trinkwasseranalyse 2025. Die Werte sind Durchschnittswerte 2025 (mit Min- und Max-Wert im Bericht), deshalb ist nur das Jahr angegeben. Laut BEW werden die Bocholter Kunden weitestgehend mit Trinkwasser der gleichen Qualität beliefert; Ausnahme sind die grenznahen Haushalte in Hemden, die niederländisches Wasser erhalten. Die Werte gelten ab Wasserwerk.
Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Bocholt, 43 % of buildings with living space were built before 1970, and a further 15 % 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 Bocholt
- Nitrate 12 mg/L – about 24 % of the limit of 50 mg/L and in the medium range – such values occur in catchments shaped by agriculture. Boiling does not reduce nitrate.
- PFAS (sum of PFAS-20) 24 ng/L – about 24 % of the limit of 100 ng/L (since 12 January 2026).
- Uranium 0.8 µg/L – unremarkable against a limit of 10 µg/L. In some regions uranium occurs naturally from the rock (geogenic).
- pH 7.76 – within the range of the Drinking Water Ordinance (6.5 to 9.5). The pH determines how corrosive the water is in household plumbing.
Water hardness in Bocholt in everyday life
At 13.5 °dH, Bocholt is in the hardness range “medium” (soft: below 8.4 °dH, medium: 8.4–14 °dH, hard: above 14 °dH).
- Dose detergent for the hardness range “medium”.
- As a rule of thumb, descale the kettle about every four to six weeks and the coffee machine as the manufacturer recommends.
- A limescale protection device is not a must at medium hardness; regular descaling is often enough.
Baby food and low sodium: tap water in Bocholt 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 Bocholt 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)
| Substance | Maximum level | Value in Bocholt |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 20 mg/l | 53 mg/l – above |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/l | 12 mg/l – above |
| Nitrite | 0.02 mg/l | not in the report |
| Sulphate | 240 mg/l | 111 mg/l – not above |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/l | 0.07 mg/l – not above |
| Manganese | 0.05 mg/l | 0.01 mg/l – not above |
| Arsenic | 0.005 mg/l | not in the report |
| Uranium | 0.002 mg/l | 0.0008 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 Bocholt
Can you drink the tap water in Bocholt?
According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (10) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). WaterScore (provisional): 100 out of 100 – the test report contains only 3 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 Bocholt?
The total hardness is 13.5 °dH – hardness range “medium”. Dose detergent for the hardness range “medium”.
Is there PFAS in the tap water in Bocholt?
Yes, in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by BEW Bocholter Energie- und Wasserversorgung (as of 2025), the sum of PFAS-20 is 0.024 (middle of the range given by the supplier) µg/l – that is 24 % of the limit of 0.1 µg/l, which has applied since 12 January 2026.
Do I need to filter my tap water in Bocholt?
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
- Total (provisional)100 / 100
- Chemical safety100 / 100
- Heavy metals100 / 100
- PFAS100 / 100
- Nutrients100 / 100
- General parameters100 / 100
- Data timeliness100 / 100
- Data quality100 / 100
Data coverage: 3 of 7 core parameters. Not in the test report: Nitrite, Lead, Copper and Arsenic. Missing parameters are neither estimated nor counted as harmless: the score is based only on the values available and is therefore provisional. 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
- Bocholter Trinkwasseranalyse 2025 (Bocholter Energie- und Wasserversorgung GmbH (BEW)) · SHA-256 of the evaluated file: dc839fed3c683c40…, checked on 12 October 2026
Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2025): Tap water in Bocholt. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 2025; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/bocholt/
JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=bocholt
Data as of: 2025 · verified: 14 of 14 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 Bocholt. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/bocholt/.”