Water hardness and tap water in Heusenstamm
Kreis Offenbach, Hessen · Postcode 63150
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 (19), at the waterworks
- Water hardness13.45 °dH, mediumNo legal limit, only a range
- Data coverageCore parameters: 7 of 7Score based on complete data
Verified drinking-water values
Note from the test report (in the German original): Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Stadt und Kreis Offenbach (ZWO) · Berichtsstand 16.07.2026, Messwerte 2. Quartal 2026, Versorgungsgebiet 5 (Heusenstamm (ohne Rembrücken)). Werte als Spannbreite über den Berichtszeitraum angegeben (hier: Mittelpunkt verwendet). Der Stadtteil Rembrücken gehört zum Versorgungsgebiet 3. Das Blatt nennt als Härtebereich „weich“ bis „mittel“; die dazu gedruckten mmol/l-Werte entsprechen nur dem Calcium. Die gedruckte Gesamthärte in °dH passt zu Calcium und Magnesium und ist hier angegeben.
Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Heusenstamm, 47 % of buildings with living space were built before 1970, and a further 21 % 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 Heusenstamm
- Nitrate 28.85 mg/L – about 58 % of the limit of 50 mg/L and comparatively high for a city waterworks; the cause is usually nitrate from agriculture entering the raw water. Boiling does not reduce nitrate.
- PFAS (sum of PFAS-20) 19 ng/L – about 19 % of the limit of 100 ng/L (since 12 January 2026).
- Lead – not detectable at the waterworks. Lead gets into the water almost only through old lead pipes in household plumbing, not via the supplier.
- Uranium – not detectable at the waterworks (limit 10 µg/L).
- pH 7.8 – 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 Heusenstamm in everyday life
At 13.45 °dH, Heusenstamm 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 Heusenstamm 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 Heusenstamm 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 Heusenstamm |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 20 mg/l | 15.85 mg/l – not above |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/l | 28.85 mg/l – above |
| Nitrite | 0.02 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.03 mg/l) – cannot be assessed |
| Sulphate | 240 mg/l | 87.1 mg/l – not above |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/l | 0.066 mg/l – not above |
| Manganese | 0.05 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.01 mg/l) – not above |
| Arsenic | 0.005 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.001 mg/l) – not above |
| Uranium | 0.002 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.0005 mg/l) – not above |
Against the other thresholds of Annex 6, the water would qualify as: low in sodium (“suitable for a low-sodium diet”) (Sodium 15.85 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 Heusenstamm
Can you drink the tap water in Heusenstamm?
According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (19) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). WaterScore: 99.3 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 Heusenstamm?
The total hardness is 13.45 °dH – hardness range “medium”. Dose detergent for the hardness range “medium”.
Is there PFAS in the tap water in Heusenstamm?
Yes, in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by ZWO Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Offenbach (as of 16 July 2026), the sum of PFAS-20 is 0.019 (upper end of the range given by the supplier) µg/l – that is 19 % of the limit of 0.1 µg/l, which has applied since 12 January 2026. Even this sum of all 20 substances is below the limit of 0.02 µg/l that applies from 12 January 2028 to the sum of four of them (PFAS-4).
Do I need to filter my tap water in Heusenstamm?
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.
Is the nitrate level in Heusenstamm a concern?
The value of 28.85 mg/L is below the limit of 50 mg/L, but higher than in many other evaluated cities. The limit of the Drinking Water Ordinance also applies to preparing baby food; mineral water labelled “suitable for preparing infant food” („geeignet für die Zubereitung von Säuglingsnahrung“) may contain at most 10 mg/L nitrate. Boiling does not help against nitrate.
WaterScore
- Total99.3 / 100
- Chemical safety95.5 / 100
- Heavy metals100 / 100
- PFAS100 / 100
- Nutrients95 / 100
- General parameters100 / 100
- Data timeliness100 / 100
- Data quality100 / 100
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
- Trinkwasseranalyse Versorgungsgebiet 5 (Heusenstamm (ohne Rembrücken)), 2. Quartal 2026 (Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Stadt und Kreis Offenbach (ZWO))
Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2026): Tap water in Heusenstamm. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 16 July 2026; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/heusenstamm/
JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=heusenstamm
Data as of: 16 July 2026 · verified: 29 of 29 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 Heusenstamm. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/heusenstamm/.”