Hardness, nitrates, pH, sanitary compliance: the real tap water quality in Béthune (very hard water), with official Hub'Eau data updated monthly.
✓ Compliant with sanitary standardsBéthune is in a very hard water zone: 37.6°f — excess limescale that results in visible deposits within weeks on all surfaces. Water heater and washing machine heating elements are first to suffer: 1mm of scale increases electricity consumption by around 10%. A central softener is the most effective solution; alternatively, systematic use of soda crystals, white vinegar and regular descalers is essential. 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: ~£105/year
For 2 persons, water at 37.6°f deposits around 1.8 kg of limescale per year in your appliances. Estimated cost in descalers, salt and filters.
Calcium: ~60 mg per litre
Your water provides 60 mg of calcium/L, which is 6% of the recommended daily intake.
Filter jug: cartridge every 3 months
At 37.6°f, replace the cartridge every 3 months. An under-sink filter lasts 6 to 12 months.
Drinking water in Béthune, in the Pas-de-Calais department is managed by c.a.b.b.a.l.r., which handles production, treatment and distribution of tap water in the municipality. The last available official sanitary analysis for Béthune dates from 5 June 2026.
Compare the water quality in Béthune with any other city available on the site.
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How does Béthune compare to the 141 cities in the Pas-de-Calais department and the 4806 largest cities in France in our database, on key water quality indicators.
Comparison based on 141 cities in Pas-de-Calais department and the 4806 largest cities in France in our database.
Top 10 cities in the Pas-de-Calais department ranked by tap water quality in our database.
Béthune ranks 1st out of 141 cities in the department in our database.
Tap water in Béthune has a quality index of 8.8/10 (excellent 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 Béthune is 37.6°f (French degrees), making it very hard water. The average is 32.5°f in the Pas-de-Calais department and 22.1°f across our entire database.
Yes, significantly. At 37.6°f, water in Béthune is very hard: limescale deposits rapidly on all water-contact surfaces and heating appliances.
It may be justified. At 37.6°f, water in Béthune is very hard: a softener limits scale build-up in pipes and heating appliances, worth comparing with simple antiscale maintenance depending on daily inconvenience.
Yes. In the last available official sanitary analysis (5 June 2026), water distributed in Béthune 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 Béthune 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 Pas-de-Calais 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.