Water hardness and tap water in Frankfurt (Oder)
Frankfurt (Oder), Brandenburg · Postcode 15230, 15232, 15234, 15236
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 (12), at the waterworks
- Water hardness18.63 °dH, hardNo 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): Anders als bei Flensburg gibt es für Frankfurt (Oder) kein separates PDF-Prüfdokument, sondern nur eine Werte-Tabelle direkt auf der FWA-Webseite (Spalten: Grenzwert nach TrinkwV / Werte aus dem GJ 2025, Mittelwerte) – die Werte wurden per direktem HTML-Abruf verifiziert, nicht nur zusammengefasst. Die Werte stammen vom Wasserwerk Briesen (Hauptversorgung der Stadt aus Spreewasser-Uferfiltrat plus Grundwasser); ein zweites Wasserwerk Müllrose ist laut Seite seit Juni 2023 wegen Bauarbeiten vom Netz genommen, dessen (veraltete) Werte wurden nicht übernommen. Ein genaues Berichtsdatum ('Stand') ist nicht angegeben, nur 'Jahresauswertung 2025' – angegeben ist deshalb nur das Jahr 2025. Blei, Arsen, Kupfer, Nitrit und Trihalomethane werden auf der Seite nicht als eigene Zeile mit Grenzwert/Messwert ausgewiesen (zu Blei gibt es nur Fließtext, dass im öffentlichen Netz keine Bleirohre mehr bekannt sind) und wurden daher konsequent weggelassen statt geschätzt. Die vier einzelnen PFAS-Kongenere (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFBS) sind auf der Seite tatsächlich als eigene Zeilen vorhanden und wurden direkt aus dem HTML gegengeprüft (alle <0,000005 mg/l).
Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Frankfurt (Oder), 47 % of buildings with living space were built before 1970, and a further 8 % 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 Frankfurt (Oder)
- Nitrate 0.79 mg/L – about 2 % of the limit of 50 mg/L and in the unremarkable range. Boiling does not reduce nitrate.
- PFAS (sum of PFAS-20) – not detectable in the sample evaluated. The limit of 0.1 µg/L (100 ng/L) has applied since 12 January 2026.
- Uranium 0.4 µg/L – unremarkable against a limit of 10 µg/L. In some regions uranium occurs naturally from the rock (geogenic).
- pH 7.49 – 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 Frankfurt (Oder) in everyday life
At 18.63 °dH, Frankfurt (Oder) is in the hardness range “hard” (soft: below 8.4 °dH, medium: 8.4–14 °dH, hard: above 14 °dH).
- Dose detergent for the hardness range “hard” – a larger amount is needed; a water softener for the washing machine can save detergent.
- Limescale builds up quickly: descale the kettle about every two to three weeks, and taps and shower heads too.
- In your own house, limescale protection or a water softener can be worthwhile at this hardness; in a rented flat, the owner decides.
Baby food and low sodium: tap water in Frankfurt (Oder) 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 Frankfurt (Oder) 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 Frankfurt (Oder) |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 20 mg/l | 31 mg/l – above |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/l | 0.79 mg/l – not above |
| Nitrite | 0.02 mg/l | not in the report |
| Sulphate | 240 mg/l | 198 mg/l – not above |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/l | 0.12 mg/l – not above |
| Manganese | 0.05 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.002 mg/l) – not above |
| Arsenic | 0.005 mg/l | not in the report |
| Uranium | 0.002 mg/l | 0.0004 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 Frankfurt (Oder)
Can you drink the tap water in Frankfurt (Oder)?
According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (12) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). WaterScore (provisional): 98.2 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 Frankfurt (Oder)?
The total hardness is 18.63 °dH – hardness range “hard”. Dose detergent for the hardness range “hard” – a larger amount is needed; a water softener for the washing machine can save detergent.
Is there PFAS in the tap water in Frankfurt (Oder)?
Not in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by FWA Frankfurt (Oder) (as of 2025), PFAS were below the laboratory’s limit of quantification. Since 12 January 2026, a limit of 0.1 µg/l has applied to the sum of PFAS-20.
Do I need to filter my tap water in Frankfurt (Oder)?
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)98.2 / 100
- Chemical safety100 / 100
- Heavy metals100 / 100
- PFAS100 / 100
- Nutrients100 / 100
- General parameters82.4 / 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
- Wasserqualität – Jahresauswertung 2025, Wasserwerk Briesen (FWA Frankfurter Wasser- und Abwassergesellschaft mbH)
Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2025): Tap water in Frankfurt (Oder). Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 2025; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/frankfurt-oder/
JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=frankfurt-oder
Data as of: 2025 · verified: 21 of 21 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 Frankfurt (Oder). Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/frankfurt-oder/.”