Water hardness and tap water in Merkendorf
Landkreis Ansbach, Bayern · Postcode 91732
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 (18), at the waterworks
- Water hardness16.6 °dH, hardNo legal limit, only a range
- Data coverageCore parameters: 6 of 7Score based on complete data
Verified drinking-water values
Note from the test report (in the German original): Zweckverband zur Wasserversorgung der Reckenberg-Gruppe · Trinkwasseranalyse für das Versorgungsgebiet ZV RBG Versorgungszone 1 + 2, Stand 25.10.2022, veröffentlicht im BDEW-Wasserportal. Die Werte wurden automatisch aus dem PDF ausgelesen und einzeln gegengeprüft; die Seite steht beim Originalwert. Laut Wasserportal liegen der Ortsmittelpunkt von Merkendorf und vier Prüfpunkte rund 1,5 km darum in diesem Versorgungsgebiet. Welches Wasser an einer bestimmten Adresse ankommt, sagt verbindlich der Versorger. Die Werte gelten ab Wasserwerk.
Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Merkendorf, 34 % of buildings with living space were built before 1970, and a further 12 % 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 Merkendorf
- Nitrate 23 mg/L – about 46 % 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.
- 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 2 µg/L – within the checked range against a limit of 10 µg/L. In some regions uranium occurs naturally from the rock (geogenic).
- pH 7.69 – 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 Merkendorf in everyday life
At 16.6 °dH, Merkendorf 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 Merkendorf 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 Merkendorf 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 Merkendorf |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 20 mg/l | 20 mg/l – not above |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/l | 23 mg/l – above |
| Nitrite | 0.02 mg/l | 0.005 mg/l – not above |
| Sulphate | 240 mg/l | 63 mg/l – not above |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/l | 0.4 mg/l – not above |
| Manganese | 0.05 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.005 mg/l) – not above |
| Arsenic | 0.005 mg/l | 0.004 mg/l – not above |
| Uranium | 0.002 mg/l | 0.002 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 Merkendorf
Can you drink the tap water in Merkendorf?
According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (18) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). WaterScore: 89.7 out of 100 (data coverage: 6 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 Merkendorf?
The total hardness is 16.6 °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 Merkendorf?
The published analysis by Zweckverband zur Wasserversorgung der Reckenberg-Gruppe that we evaluated gives no PFAS value. This does not mean there is no PFAS in the water; there is simply no figure for it. Since 12 January 2026, a limit of 0.1 µg/l has applied to the sum of PFAS-20. The supplier can tell you whether PFAS was measured and with what result.
Do I need to filter my tap water in Merkendorf?
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 Merkendorf a concern?
The value of 23 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
- Total89.7 / 100
- Chemical safety100 / 100
- Heavy metals100 / 100
- Nutrients100 / 100
- General parameters100 / 100
- Data timeliness45.1 / 100
- Data quality100 / 100
Data coverage: 6 of 7 core parameters. Not in the test report: PFAS (sum). 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 ZV RBG Versorgungszone 1 + 2, Stand 25.10.2022 (Zweckverband zur Wasserversorgung der Reckenberg-Gruppe (veröffentlicht im BDEW-Wasserportal)) · SHA-256 of the evaluated file: 28a24dbf2a325608…, checked on 11 October 2026
Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2022): Tap water in Merkendorf. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 25 October 2022; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/merkendorf/
JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=merkendorf
Data as of: 25 October 2022 · verified: 23 of 23 evaluated parameters. (older than twelve months – under § 46 TrinkwV your supplier must publish current values online)
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 Merkendorf. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/merkendorf/.”