Water hardness and tap water in Übach-Palenberg
Kreis Heinsberg, Nordrhein-Westfalen · Postcode 52531
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 hardness3.7 °dH, softNo legal limit, only a range
- Data coverageCore parameters: 7 of 7Score based on complete data
Verified drinking-water values
Note from the test report (in the German original): Die Stadtwerke verweisen auf die Analyse der Aufbereitungsanlage Roetgen der WAG Nordeifel. Die Werte sind Jahresmittel 2025 an der Netzeinspeisung, keine einzelne Probe und ab Werk. Das Wasser wird gechlort und mit Chlordioxid behandelt: Chlorit im Mittel 0,133 mg/l, höchstens 0,190 mg/l, Grenzwert 0,20 mg/l. Summe PFAS-20 lag höchstens bei 0,020 µg/l, Summe PFAS-4 im Mittel bei 0,000 µg/l und höchstens bei 0,003 µg/l, Mangan höchstens bei 0,045 mg/l. Bei Nitrat liegt die Bestimmungsgrenze des Labors mit 7 mg/l hoch.
Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Übach-Palenberg, 54 % 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 Übach-Palenberg
- PFAS (sum of PFAS-20) 3 ng/L – about 3 % 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 – not detectable at the waterworks (limit 10 µg/L).
- pH 8.95 – 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 Übach-Palenberg in everyday life
At 3.7 °dH, Übach-Palenberg 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 Übach-Palenberg 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 Übach-Palenberg 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 Übach-Palenberg |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 20 mg/l | 13 mg/l – not above |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/l | below the detection limit (7 mg/l) – not above |
| Nitrite | 0.02 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.01 mg/l) – not above |
| Sulphate | 240 mg/l | 24 mg/l – not above |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.6 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 (0.0005 mg/l) – not above |
| Uranium | 0.002 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.0002 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 13 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 Übach-Palenberg
Can you drink the tap water in Übach-Palenberg?
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 Übach-Palenberg?
The total hardness is 3.7 °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 Übach-Palenberg?
Yes, in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by Stadtwerke Übach-Palenberg (as of 2025), the sum of PFAS-20 is 0.003 (middle of the range given by the supplier) µg/l – that is 3 % of the limit of 0.1 µg/l, which has applied since 12 January 2026.
Do I need to filter my tap water in Übach-Palenberg?
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
- 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
- Minimum, Maximum, Mittelwert 2025, Probenahmestelle Roetgen TW Netzeinspeisung (WAG Wassergewinnungs- und -aufbereitungsgesellschaft Nordeifel mbH (von den Stadtwerken Übach-Palenberg veröffentlicht)) · SHA-256 of the evaluated file: c1a401a48d28dd4c…, checked on 1 November 2026
Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2025): Tap water in Übach-Palenberg. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 2025; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/uebach-palenberg/
JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=uebach-palenberg
Data as of: 2025 · 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 Übach-Palenberg. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/uebach-palenberg/.”