Water hardness and tap water in Meerbusch
Rhein-Kreis Neuss, Nordrhein-Westfalen · Postcode 40667, 40668, 40670
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 (40), at the waterworks
- Water hardness10.4 °dH, mediumNo legal limit, only a range
- Data coverageCore parameters: 4 of 7Score based on complete data
Verified drinking-water values: water “Rheingemeinden (Wasserwerk Lank)”
Note from the test report (in the German original): Prüfbericht des IWW zur Probe vom 05.03.2026 am Reinwasser des Wasserwerks Lank, also ab Werk. Es versorgt laut Stadtwerken die Rheingemeinden Strümp, Lank-Latum, Langst-Kierst, Ilverich, Bösinghoven und Nierst sowie einen kleinen Teil von Büderich. Osterath und der größte Teil von Büderich bekommen anderes Wasser, siehe die beiden weiteren Gebiete. Blei, Kupfer und Arsen enthält der Bericht nicht. Welches Gebiet für eine Straße gilt, sagt die Straßenliste der Stadtwerke; Blei und Kupfer können im eigenen Haus abweichen.
Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Meerbusch, 46 % 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 Meerbusch
- Nitrate 18.4 mg/L – about 37 % 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) 25 ng/L – about 25 % of the limit of 100 ng/L (since 12 January 2026).
- Uranium 0.41 µg/L – unremarkable against a limit of 10 µg/L. In some regions uranium occurs naturally from the rock (geogenic).
- pH 7.97 – 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 Meerbusch in everyday life
At 10.4 °dH, Meerbusch 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 Meerbusch 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 Meerbusch 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)
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.
| Substance | Maximum level | Value in Meerbusch |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 20 mg/l | 26.7 mg/l – above the bottled-water threshold |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/l | 18.4 mg/l – above the bottled-water threshold |
| Nitrite | 0.02 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.02 mg/l) – not above |
| Sulphate | 240 mg/l | 67.4 mg/l – not above |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/l | 0.09 mg/l – not above |
| Manganese | 0.05 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.005 mg/l) – not above |
| Arsenic | 0.005 mg/l | not in the report |
| Uranium | 0.002 mg/l | 0.00041 mg/l – not above |
Questions about baby food are answered by your midwife, your paediatrician and the health office (Gesundheitsamt).
Frequently asked questions about tap water in Meerbusch
Can you drink the tap water in Meerbusch?
According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (40) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). WaterScore: 100 out of 100 (data coverage: 4 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 Meerbusch?
It depends on the address: Rheingemeinden (Wasserwerk Lank) 10.4 °dH, Büderich (Kreiswerke, Wasserwerk Driesch) 13.3 °dH and Osterath (Wasserwerk Fellerhöfe) 11.5 °dH – all in the hardness range “medium”. Dose detergent for the hardness range “medium”.
Is there PFAS in the tap water in Meerbusch?
Yes, in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by Stadtwerke Meerbusch (as of 5 March 2026), the sum of PFAS-20 is 0.025 µg/l – that is 25 % of the limit of 0.1 µg/l, which has applied since 12 January 2026. Whether the limit of 0.02 µg/l for the sum of PFAS-4, which applies from 12 January 2028, is met cannot be read from the sum of PFAS-20.
Do I need to filter my tap water in Meerbusch?
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 Meerbusch a concern?
It depends on the address: Rheingemeinden (Wasserwerk Lank) 18.4 mg/L, Büderich (Kreiswerke, Wasserwerk Driesch) 24.5 mg/L and Osterath (Wasserwerk Fellerhöfe) 21.4 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: 4 of 7 core parameters. Not in the test report: Lead, Copper and Arsenic. 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 v4: how we calculate the WaterScore.
Evidence: cite and check
- Prüfbericht 07261-1 MH26, Wasserwerk Lank, Reinwasser, Probenahme 05.03.2026 (Stadtwerke Service Meerbusch Willich GmbH & Co. KG (Analyse: IWW Analytik und Service GmbH)) · SHA-256 of the evaluated file: d0460d79eceb6cd4…, checked on 1 November 2026
Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2026): Tap water in Meerbusch. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 5 March 2026; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/meerbusch/
JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=meerbusch
Data as of: 5 March 2026 · verified: 19 of 19 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 Meerbusch. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/meerbusch/.”