TrinkwassermonitorTap water in Germany

Water hardness and tap water in Remscheid

Remscheid, Nordrhein-Westfalen · Postcode 42853, 42855, 42857, 42859, 42897, 42899

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 Remscheid has a total hardness of 5.1 °dH, hardness range “soft” (as of 2025). All tested parameters with a legal limit (16) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). Source: test report by EWR GmbH. WaterScore: 100 out of 100 (data coverage: 7 of 7 core parameters).

Verified drinking-water values

ParameterValueLimit (TrinkwV)Sampling dateSourceStatus
Nitrate7 mg/L
50 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Nitrite< 0.03 mg/L0.5 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
PFAS (sum)0.002 µg/L0.1 µg/L

2025EWR GmbHverified
Lead< 0.0002 mg/L0.01 mg/L
2025EWR GmbHverified
Arsenic< 0.0003 mg/L0.01 mg/L
2025EWR GmbHverified
Uranium< 0.0001 mg/L0.01 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Mercury< 0.00005 mg/L0.001 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Copper< 0.001 mg/L2 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Chloride8 mg/L250 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Sulphate14 mg/L250 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Sodium5.4 mg/L200 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Calcium31 mg/L–2025EWR GmbHverified
Magnesium3.5 mg/L–2025EWR GmbHverified
pH86.5–9.52025EWR GmbHverified
Total hardness5.1 °dH (soft)no legal limit2025EWR GmbHverified
Electrical conductivity211 µS/cm–2025EWR GmbHverified
Fluoride< 0.2 mg/L1.5 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Iron< 0.02 mg/L0.2 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Manganese< 0.005 mg/L0.05 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Ammonium< 0.05 mg/L0.5 mg/L2025EWR GmbHverified
Coliform bacteria0 KBE/100ml0 per 100 ml2025EWR GmbHverified
Trihalomethanes (THM)below the limit of quantification50 µg/L2025EWR GmbHverified

Note from the test report (in the German original): Jahresmittelwerte 2025 (Untersuchungen nach Vorgabe der Trinkwasserverordnung); die Quelle nennt kein einzelnes Probenahme- oder Veröffentlichungsdatum, deshalb ist nur das Jahr 2025 angegeben. Versorgt wird ganz Remscheid aus einem Netz (Rohwasser aus der Großen Dhünntalsperre, Aufbereitung im Wasserwerk Eschbachtal) mit einem einzigen Wertesatz.

Is a value wrong or out of date?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 Remscheid, 62 % 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 Remscheid

Water hardness in Remscheid in everyday life

At 5.1 °dH, Remscheid 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 Remscheid 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 Remscheid 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 Remscheid
Sodium20 mg/l5.4 mg/l – not above
Nitrate10 mg/l7 mg/l – not above
Nitrite0.02 mg/lbelow the detection limit (0.03 mg/l) – cannot be assessed
Sulphate240 mg/l14 mg/l – not above
Fluoride0.7 mg/lbelow the detection limit (0.2 mg/l) – not above
Manganese0.05 mg/lbelow the detection limit (0.005 mg/l) – not above
Arsenic0.005 mg/lbelow the detection limit (0.0003 mg/l) – not above
Uranium0.002 mg/lbelow the detection limit (0.0001 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 5.4 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 Remscheid

Can you drink the tap water in Remscheid?

According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (16) 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 Remscheid?

The total hardness is 5.1 °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 Remscheid?

Yes, in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by EWR GmbH (as of 2025), the sum of PFAS-20 is 0.002 (middle of the range given by the supplier) µg/l – that is 2 % of the limit of 0.1 µg/l, which has applied since 12 January 2026.

Do I need to filter my tap water in Remscheid?

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 (2025): Tap water in Remscheid. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 2025; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/remscheid/

JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=remscheid

Data as of: 2025 · verified: 22 of 22 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 Remscheid. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/remscheid/.”

Further information