Water hardness and tap water in Hohenstein-Ernstthal
Landkreis Zwickau, Sachsen · Postcode 09337
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 (56), at the waterworks
- Water hardness3.5 °dH, softNo legal limit, only a range
- Data coverageCore parameters: 7 of 7Score based on complete data
Verified drinking-water values: water “Hochzone und Wüstenbrand”
Note from the test report (in the German original): Prüfbericht der Südsachsen Wasser GmbH (akkreditiert) für den RZV Lugau-Glauchau, Probenahme am 19.01.2026 im Rathaus Falken (Callenberg). Der Verband ordnet diesen Bericht in seiner adressgenauen Abfrage der Hochzone und dem Ortsteil Wüstenbrand zu – rund 43 % der Adressen von Hohenstein-Ernstthal. Die Stadt bekommt je nach Adresse unterschiedliches Wasser: Die Mittelzone (rund 21 %) hat ähnlich weiches Wasser, die Niederzone (rund 35 %) deutlich härteres Wasser mit mehr Nitrat, Arsen und Uran. Wenige Adressen im Grenzbereich zu Callenberg (unter 1 %) hängen an einer weiteren Zone.
Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, 59 % of buildings with living space were built before 1970, and a further 7 % 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 Hohenstein-Ernstthal
- Nitrate 2.6 mg/L – about 5 % 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.
- 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 0.21 µg/L – unremarkable against a limit of 10 µg/L. In some regions uranium occurs naturally from the rock (geogenic).
- pH 8.1 – 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 Hohenstein-Ernstthal in everyday life
At 3.5 °dH, Hohenstein-Ernstthal is in the hardness range “soft” (soft: below 8.4 °dH, medium: 8.4–14 °dH, hard: above 14 °dH).
- Dose detergent for the hardness range “soft” – the lowest amount on the pack.
- Limescale deposits are rare; kettles and coffee machines only need descaling every few months.
- At this hardness you do not need limescale protection or a water softener.
Baby food and low sodium: tap water in Hohenstein-Ernstthal 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 Hohenstein-Ernstthal 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 Hohenstein-Ernstthal |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 20 mg/l | not in the report |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/l | 2.6 mg/l – not above |
| Nitrite | 0.02 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.01 mg/l) – not above |
| Sulphate | 240 mg/l | 13 mg/l – not above |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/l | 0.13 mg/l – not above |
| Manganese | 0.05 mg/l | 0.001 mg/l – not above |
| Arsenic | 0.005 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.001 mg/l) – not above |
| Uranium | 0.002 mg/l | 0.00021 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 Hohenstein-Ernstthal
Can you drink the tap water in Hohenstein-Ernstthal?
According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (56) 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 Hohenstein-Ernstthal?
It depends on the address: Hochzone und Wüstenbrand 3.5 °dH, Niederzone 14.1 °dH and Mittelzone 3.5 °dH. The waters are in different hardness ranges (“soft” and “hard”); detergent and descaler should follow the water at your address.
Is there PFAS in the tap water in Hohenstein-Ernstthal?
Not in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by RZV Lugau-Glauchau (as of 19 January 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. This means the sum of the four substances PFOA, PFOS, PFNA and PFHxS (PFAS-4) is also below the limit of 0.02 µg/l, which applies from 12 January 2028.
Do I need to filter my tap water in Hohenstein-Ernstthal?
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 Hohenstein-Ernstthal a concern?
It depends on the address: Hochzone und Wüstenbrand 2.6 mg/L, Niederzone 32 mg/L and Mittelzone 3.3 mg/L. All values are below the limit of 50 mg/L. 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
- Total100 / 100
- Chemical safety100 / 100
- Heavy metals100 / 100
- PFAS100 / 100
- Nutrients100 / 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
- Prüfbericht Trinkwasser 202603676, Probenahme 19.01.2026, Rathaus Falken (Callenberg) (Regionaler Zweckverband Wasserversorgung Bereich Lugau-Glauchau (Prüfbericht: Südsachsen Wasser GmbH, akkreditiert))
Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2026): Tap water in Hohenstein-Ernstthal. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 19 January 2026; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/hohenstein-ernstthal/
JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=hohenstein-ernstthal
Data as of: 19 January 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 Hohenstein-Ernstthal. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/hohenstein-ernstthal/.”