TrinkwassermonitorTap water in Germany

Water hardness and tap water in Freiburg im Breisgau

Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg · Postcode 79098, 79100, 79104, 79108, 79111

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 Freiburg im Breisgau has a total hardness of 5.2 °dH, hardness range “soft” (as of 2 March 2026). All tested parameters with a legal limit (7) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). Source: test report by badenova Netze. WaterScore: 100 out of 100 (data coverage: 7 of 7 core parameters).

Verified drinking-water values

ParameterValueLimit (TrinkwV)Sampling dateSourceStatus
Nitrate11.3 mg/L
50 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Nitritebelow the limit of quantification0.5 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
PFAS (sum)0 µg/L0.1 µg/L

2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Leadbelow the limit of quantification0.01 mg/L
2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Arsenicbelow the limit of quantification0.01 mg/L
2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Uraniumbelow the limit of quantification0.01 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Mercurybelow the limit of quantification0.001 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Copperbelow the limit of quantification2 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Cadmiumbelow the limit of quantification0.003 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Chromiumbelow the limit of quantification0.025 mg/L
2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Nickelbelow the limit of quantification0.02 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Chloride12.4 mg/L250 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Sulphate9.4 mg/L250 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Sodium9.5 mg/L200 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Calcium30.8 mg/L–2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Magnesium3.8 mg/L–2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
pH7.616.5–9.52 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Total hardness5.2 °dH (soft)no legal limit2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Electrical conductivity241 µS/cm–2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Fluoride0.05 mg/L1.5 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Ironbelow the limit of quantification0.2 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Manganesebelow the limit of quantification0.05 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Ammoniumbelow the limit of quantification0.5 mg/L2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified
Coliform bacteria0 KBE/100ml0 per 100 ml2 March 2026badenova Netze GmbHverified

Note from the test report (in the German original): badenova Netze · Trinkwasseranalyse vom 02.03.2026 für Versorgungsbereich 1, veröffentlicht im Wasserportal, auf das badenova für die Detailanalysen verweist. Freiburg hat vier Versorgungsbereiche: laut badenova Bereich 1 (u. a. Altstadt, Wiehre, Herdern, Zähringen) 5,2 °dH, Bereich 2 (u. a. Günterstal) 4,6 °dH und Bereich 3 2,3 °dH – alle weich – sowie Bereich 4 (u. a. St. Georgen, Rieselfeld, Landwasser) mit 12,7 °dH, mittel. Welcher Bereich eine Adresse versorgt, zeigt die Karte auf badenova.de. Für Stoffe unter der Bestimmungsgrenze nennt der Bericht „< BG“ ohne Zahlenwert. Die Summen PFAS-20 und PFAS-4 gibt er mit 0 an – keiner der Stoffe lag also in bestimmbarer Menge vor.

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 Freiburg im Breisgau, 53 % of buildings with living space were built before 1970, and a further 11 % 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 Freiburg im Breisgau

Water hardness in Freiburg im Breisgau in everyday life

At 5.2 °dH, Freiburg im Breisgau is in the hardness range “soft” (soft: below 8.4 °dH, medium: 8.4–14 °dH, hard: above 14 °dH).

Baby food and low sodium: tap water in Freiburg im Breisgau 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 Freiburg im Breisgau 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 Freiburg im Breisgau
Sodium20 mg/l9.5 mg/l – not above
Nitrate10 mg/l11.3 mg/l – above
Nitrite0.02 mg/lbelow the limit of quantification – cannot be assessed
Sulphate240 mg/l9.4 mg/l – not above
Fluoride0.7 mg/l0.05 mg/l – not above
Manganese0.05 mg/lbelow the limit of quantification – cannot be assessed
Arsenic0.005 mg/lbelow the limit of quantification – cannot be assessed
Uranium0.002 mg/lbelow the limit of quantification – cannot be assessed

Against the other thresholds of Annex 6, the water would qualify as: low in sodium (“suitable for a low-sodium diet”) (Sodium 9.5 mg/l, threshold below 20 mg/l).

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 Freiburg im Breisgau

Can you drink the tap water in Freiburg im Breisgau?

According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (7) 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 Freiburg im Breisgau?

The total hardness is 5.2 °dH – hardness range “soft”. Dose detergent for the hardness range “soft” – the lowest amount on the pack.

Is there PFAS in the tap water in Freiburg im Breisgau?

Not in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by badenova Netze (as of 2 March 2026), 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 Freiburg im Breisgau?

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 (2026): Tap water in Freiburg im Breisgau. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 2 March 2026; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/freiburg-im-breisgau/

JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=freiburg-im-breisgau

Data as of: 2 March 2026 · verified: 24 of 24 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 Freiburg im Breisgau. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/freiburg-im-breisgau/.”

Further information