Water hardness and tap water in Sörgenloch
Landkreis Mainz-Bingen, Rheinland-Pfalz · Postcode 55270
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 hardness19.6 °dH, hardNo legal limit, only a range
- Data coverageCore parameters: 7 of 7Score based on complete data
Verified drinking-water values
| Parameter | Value | Limit (TrinkwV) | Sampling date | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 23.3 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Nitrite | < 0.02 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| PFAS (sum) | 0.005 µg/L | 0.1 µg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| PFOA | < 0.001 µg/L | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| PFOS | < 0.001 µg/L | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| PFHxS | < 0.001 µg/L | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| PFBS | < 0.001 µg/L | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| TFA (Trifluoressigsäure) | 0.88 µg/L | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| PFNA | < 0.001 µg/L | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Lead | < 0.001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Arsenic | < 0.001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Uranium | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Mercury | < 0.00005 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Copper | < 0.005 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Cadmium | < 0.0005 mg/L | 0.003 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Chromium | < 0.0005 mg/L | 0.025 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Nickel | < 0.002 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Chloride | 63.3 mg/L | 250 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Sulphate | 74 mg/L | 250 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Sodium | 18.2 mg/L | 200 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Calcium | 93 mg/L | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Magnesium | 28.4 mg/L | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| pH | 7.41 | 6.5–9.5 | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Total hardness | 19.6 °dH (hard) | no legal limit | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Electrical conductivity | 785 µS/cm | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Fluoride | < 0.2 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Iron | < 0.01 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Manganese | < 0.005 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Ammonium | < 0.04 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Coliform bacteria | 0 KBE/100ml | 0 per 100 ml | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
| Säurekapazität bis pH 4,3 | 4.27 mmol/L | – | 12 May 2026 | Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH | verified |
Note from the test report (in the German original): Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH · Prüfbericht Nr. 8114011 (freigegeben 21.07.2026), Versorgungsgebiet Hochbehälter Sörgenloch. Auf ihrer Karte der Wasseranalysen ordnet die WVR Sörgenloch diesem Bericht zu. Die Probe stammt vom 12.05.2026 aus dem Ortsnetz von Sörgenloch (Azurit Seniorenzentrum, An der Residenz 2, Hahn Wasserzähler), nicht ab Wasserwerk; die Hausinstallation ist nicht erfasst. Es ist eine Einzelprobe. Die Summe PFAS-4 weist der Bericht nicht aus; alle vier Einzelstoffe liegen unter der Bestimmungsgrenze. Trihalogenmethane bildet der Bericht nicht als Summe, deshalb fehlt dieser Wert hier.
Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Sörgenloch, 29 % of buildings with living space were built before 1970, and a further 13 % 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 Sörgenloch
- Nitrate 23.3 mg/L – about 47 % 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) 5 ng/L – about 5 % 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 1.2 µg/L – unremarkable against a limit of 10 µg/L. In some regions uranium occurs naturally from the rock (geogenic).
- pH 7.41 – 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 Sörgenloch in everyday life
At 19.6 °dH, Sörgenloch 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 Sörgenloch 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 Sörgenloch 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 Sörgenloch |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 20 mg/l | 18.2 mg/l – not above |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/l | 23.3 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 | 74 mg/l – not above |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.2 mg/l) – not above |
| Manganese | 0.05 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.005 mg/l) – not above |
| Arsenic | 0.005 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.001 mg/l) – not above |
| Uranium | 0.002 mg/l | 0.0012 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 18.2 mg/l, threshold below 20 mg/l).
Questions about baby food are answered by your midwife, your paediatrician and the health office (Gesundheitsamt).
Frequently asked questions about tap water in Sörgenloch
Can you drink the tap water in Sörgenloch?
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: 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 Sörgenloch?
The total hardness is 19.6 °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 Sörgenloch?
Yes, in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz (WVR) (as of 12 May 2026), the sum of PFAS-20 is 0.005 µg/l – that is 5 % 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 Sörgenloch?
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 Sörgenloch a concern?
The value of 23.3 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
- 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 v4: how we calculate the WaterScore.
Evidence: cite and check
- Prüfbericht Nr. 8114011, Versorgungsgebiet Hochbehälter Sörgenloch, Probe im Ortsnetz Sörgenloch vom 12.05.2026 (Wasserversorgung Rheinhessen-Pfalz GmbH) · SHA-256 of the evaluated file: 25c3d5d0be07222e…, checked on 28 October 2026
Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2026): Tap water in Sörgenloch. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 12 May 2026; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/soergenloch/
JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=soergenloch
Data as of: 12 May 2026 · verified: 31 of 31 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 Sörgenloch. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/soergenloch/.”