Water hardness and tap water in Villingen-Schwenningen
Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg · Postcode 78048, 78050, 78052, 78054, 78056
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 (12), at the waterworks
- Water hardness13.1 °dH, mediumNo legal limit, only a range
- Data coverageCore parameters: 4 of 7Score based on complete data
Verified drinking-water values
Note from the test report (in the German original): DAkkS-akkreditierter Prüfbericht des DVGW-Technologiezentrums Wasser (TZW Karlsruhe), Probenahme 24.03.2025 in Schwenningen (eine einzige Versorgungszone für den gesamten Stadtbezirk). Villingen (seit 1972 mit Schwenningen zur Stadt Villingen-Schwenningen vereinigt) hat mehrere eigene Druckzonen mit abweichenden, teils deutlich weicheren Werten – z. B. Zone Hammerhalde mit nur 5,8 °dH (weich) gegenüber 13,1 °dH in Schwenningen, eigene Quelle. Blei, Arsen, Kupfer, Trihalomethane und mikrobiologische Parameter (Coliforme/E. coli) sind in den verfügbaren Berichten nicht ausgewiesen.
Background on household plumbing, not a measurement: in Villingen-Schwenningen, 56 % 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 Villingen-Schwenningen
- Nitrate 8.7 mg/L – about 17 % of the limit of 50 mg/L and in the unremarkable range. Boiling does not reduce nitrate.
- PFAS (sum of PFAS-20) 2.9 ng/L – about 3 % of the limit of 100 ng/L (since 12 January 2026).
- Uranium 1.1 µg/L – unremarkable 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 Villingen-Schwenningen in everyday life
At 13.1 °dH, Villingen-Schwenningen 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 Villingen-Schwenningen 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 Villingen-Schwenningen 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 Villingen-Schwenningen |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | 20 mg/l | 8.2 mg/l – not above |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/l | 8.7 mg/l – not above |
| Nitrite | 0.02 mg/l | below the detection limit (0.01 mg/l) – not above |
| Sulphate | 240 mg/l | 48.2 mg/l – not above |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/l | 0.12 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 | 0.0011 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 8.2 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 Villingen-Schwenningen
Can you drink the tap water in Villingen-Schwenningen?
According to the verified values, yes: All tested parameters with a legal limit (12) meet the limits set by the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV). WaterScore: 98.3 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 Villingen-Schwenningen?
The total hardness is 13.1 °dH – hardness range “medium”. Dose detergent for the hardness range “medium”.
Is there PFAS in the tap water in Villingen-Schwenningen?
Yes, in measurable amounts: according to the published analysis by Stadtwerke Villingen-Schwenningen GmbH (as of 24 March 2025), the sum of PFAS-20 is 0.0029 µg/l – that is 3 % 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 Villingen-Schwenningen?
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
- Total98.3 / 100
- Chemical safety100 / 100
- Heavy metals100 / 100
- PFAS100 / 100
- Nutrients100 / 100
- General parameters100 / 100
- Data timeliness88.4 / 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 v3: how we calculate the WaterScore.
Evidence: cite and check
- Prüfbericht Trinkwasser Schwenningen (NZ HB Türnleberg MW BWV, Nr. 000340659) (Stadtwerke Villingen-Schwenningen GmbH (Prüfbericht: DVGW-Technologiezentrum Wasser, TZW Karlsruhe)) · SHA-256 of the evaluated file: 0f6105e6c9aebf5c…, checked on 3 October 2026
Suggested citation: Trinkwassermonitor (2025): Tap water in Villingen-Schwenningen. Values according to the water supplier’s test report, sampling date 24 March 2025; at the waterworks, not household plumbing. https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/villingen-schwenningen/
JSON: /api/v1/evidence?city=villingen-schwenningen
Data as of: 24 March 2025 · verified: 16 of 16 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 Villingen-Schwenningen. Retrieved from https://trinkwassermonitor.ink/en/tap-water/villingen-schwenningen/.”