Hardness, nitrates, pH, sanitary compliance: the real tap water quality in Altkirch (very soft water), with official Hub'Eau data updated monthly.
✓ Compliant with sanitary standardsIn Altkirch, tap water is very soft at 6.3°f — well below the French average of around 22°f. This low limescale level naturally protects appliances (washing machines, kettles, dishwashers) and prevents white deposits on taps and shower walls. Very soft water can feel soapy when rinsing and may be slightly corrosive on metal pipes; if plumbing is old, checking lead or copper levels is advisable. Official sanitary tests declare it compliant with current standards across all monitored parameters.
Results from the latest official sanitary samples (Hub’Eau, French Ministry of Health). Click a card to understand what each parameter measures.
Sanitary compliance summarises adherence to French regulatory limits across all analysed parameters (bacteriology, chemistry, radioactivity). Compliant water can be consumed directly from the tap without additional treatment.
The TH (titre hydrotimétrique) measures calcium and magnesium concentration, expressed in French degrees (°f). The higher it is, the harder the water and the faster limescale deposits on surfaces and in appliances.
Nitrates come mainly from agriculture and waste water. The French regulatory limit is 50 mg/L; below 25 mg/L, the level is considered low.
PFAS are persistent chemical compounds, sometimes called "forever chemicals", used in industry. The vigilance threshold used here is 0.1 µg/L, consistent with current health recommendations.
pH measures water acidity. Regulations require a value between 6.5 and 9: outside this range, water may encourage pipe corrosion or affect taste.
Free chlorine is added to disinfect water and prevent bacterial growth in the distribution network. High levels can produce a perceptible taste or odour, without health risk at authorised levels.
Turbidity measures water clarity, in NTU (nephelometric turbidity units). A low value indicates clear water with few suspended particles.
Conductivity reflects overall water mineralisation, in µS/cm. It has no strict sanitary threshold but indicates the dissolved mineral salt content.
Maintenance budget: ~£18/year
For 2 persons, water at 6.3°f deposits around 0.3 kg of limescale per year in your appliances. Estimated cost in descalers, salt and filters.
Calcium: ~10 mg per litre
Your water provides 10 mg of calcium/L, which is 1% of the recommended daily intake.
Filtration not required
Your soft water does not require filtration. A jug filter remains useful for taste.
Drinking water in Altkirch, in the Haut-Rhin department is managed by communaute de communes sundgau, which handles production, treatment and distribution of tap water in the municipality. The last available official sanitary analysis for Altkirch dates from 10 June 2026.
Compare the water quality in Altkirch with any other city available on the site.
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How does Altkirch compare to the 58 cities in the Haut-Rhin department and the 4806 largest cities in France in our database, on key water quality indicators.
Comparison based on 58 cities in Haut-Rhin department and the 4806 largest cities in France in our database.
Top 10 cities in the Haut-Rhin department ranked by tap water quality in our database.
Altkirch ranks 8th out of 58 cities in the department in our database.
Tap water in Altkirch has a quality index of 7.8/10 (good quality) in our database, calculated on nitrates, PFAS, pH, free chlorine and turbidity. This is a comparative reading of Hub'Eau data, not an official rating.
Tap water hardness in Altkirch is 6.3°f (French degrees), making it very soft water. The average is 19.7°f in the Haut-Rhin department and 22.1°f across our entire database.
Very little. At 6.3°f, water in Altkirch is very soft: limescale deposits remain minimal on taps, shower walls and heating appliances.
No. With very soft water (6.3°f), a softener would bring nothing: limescale isn't the issue in Altkirch.
Yes. In the last available official sanitary analysis (10 June 2026), water distributed in Altkirch was declared compliant, meaning it can be drunk directly from the tap. Official conclusion: "Eau d'alimentation conforme aux exigences de qualité en vigueur pour l'ensemble des paramètres mesurés." This is a point-in-time sample, not real-time monitoring.
The pH measured in Altkirch is 7.4. Regulations require a value between 6.5 and 9: the water is within this range.
Compare tap water quality in other cities of the Haut-Rhin department, ranked by quality index.
Methodology: the quality index compares each city against the 4806 other cities in our database on 5 parameters (nitrates, PFAS, pH, free chlorine, turbidity) and averages its relative position on each. This is not an official rating, only a simplified comparative reading of Hub’Eau data.