How do I read the world map?

Each country is coloured according to its water hardness level, from softest to hardest. Highlighted countries have a detailed region-by-region map: click one to zoom in and explore local values. You can change the hardness unit shown at any time using the switcher above the map.

Why are some countries shown in grey?

Grey means we don't yet have verified hardness data for that country. We'd rather show nothing than approximate values. Coverage expands gradually, country by country, as reliable sources are validated.

Which units is hardness shown in?

Hardness can be displayed in French degrees (°f), German degrees (°dH), English degrees (°e), parts per million (ppm, equivalent to mg/L of CaCO₃), grains per gallon (gpg), or millimoles per litre (mmol/L). The unit switcher converts the whole map instantly, so you can compare one country with another even when their default units differ.

Where does the data come from?

Values rely first on each country's official water regulators and bodies (health agencies, water utilities, public services), supplemented by UNEP's international GEMStat database where relevant. The exact sources and method are listed on each country's detailed map, along with a confidence level and an update date.

What is the difference between a salt-based softener and LIMPEO?

A salt-based softener removes calcium through ion exchange and adds sodium to the water. It requires salt (100-300 kg/year), regular maintenance, and discharges briny wastewater. LIMPEO modifies limescale crystallisation through an electromagnetic field: no salt, no chemicals, no maintenance, no wasted water. The water retains its beneficial minerals.

What should I do if my water is hard?

If your region shows up as hard or very hard, an anti-limescale treatment protects your pipes, water heater, and appliances and cuts your energy use. The LIMPEO electromagnetic device works across the entire hardness range, with no salt, no chemicals, and no maintenance. It is manufactured in France by MAGIIC SAS and backed by a 10-year repairability commitment.

World water hardness map

Explore drinking-water hardness country by country. Highlighted countries have a detailed region-by-region map — click to zoom in.

121 countries covered11 region-by-region mapsOfficial & scientific sources6 convertible units

Water hardness varies widely around the world depending on the geology water flows through: very hard in limestone regions, soft over granitic and volcanic ground. Hard water scales pipes and appliances and raises energy bills wherever it runs. The LIMPEO electromagnetic descaler, manufactured by MAGIIC SAS, treats hard water without salt, chemicals, or maintenance, whatever the starting hardness.

Display unit

Soft water

Medium water

Hard water

Very hard water

No data available

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The hardest and softest water in the world

Median national values in mg/L CaCO₃, compiled from official and scientific sources for 121 countries. Hardness varies a lot within a single country — use the map above for region-by-region detail.

Hardest water

1.Yemen500 ppm
2.Chile400 ppm
3.Jordan400 ppm
4.Tunisia350 ppm
5.Palestinian Territories345 ppm
6.Croatia321 ppm
7.North Macedonia313 ppm
8.Belgium300 ppm

Softest water

1.Rwanda25 ppm
2.Madagascar25 ppm
3.Iceland25 ppm
4.Congo - Kinshasa30 ppm
5.Côte d’Ivoire30 ppm
6.Colombia30 ppm
7.Benin30 ppm
8.Taiwan33 ppm

See the full ranking of all 121 countries

#	Country	ppm	°f	°dH	Level
1	Yemen	500	50	28	Very hard water
2	Chile	400	40	22	Very hard water
3	Jordan	400	40	22	Very hard water
4	Tunisia	350	35	20	Very hard water
5	Palestinian Territories	345	35	19	Hard water
6	Croatia	321	32	18	Hard water
7	North Macedonia	313	31	18	Hard water
8	Belgium	300	30	17	Hard water
9	Pakistan	300	30	17	Hard water
10	Denmark	290	29	16	Hard water
11	Germany	285	29	16	Hard water
12	France	280	28	16	Hard water
13	Italy	280	28	16	Hard water
14	Lebanon	280	28	16	Hard water
15	Nepal	280	28	16	Hard water
16	Syria	280	28	16	Hard water
17	Zambia	280	28	16	Hard water
18	Cuba	270	27	15	Hard water
19	Slovenia	268	27	15	Hard water
20	Lithuania	263	26	15	Hard water
21	Dominican Republic	250	25	14	Hard water
22	Guyana	250	25	14	Hard water
23	Hungary	250	25	14	Hard water
24	India	250	25	14	Hard water
25	Jamaica	250	25	14	Hard water
26	Luxembourg	250	25	14	Hard water
27	Russia	250	25	14	Hard water
28	Serbia	250	25	14	Hard water
29	Spain	250	25	14	Hard water
30	Morocco	230	23	13	Medium water
31	Albania	220	22	12	Medium water
32	Senegal	220	22	12	Medium water
33	Bangladesh	215	22	12	Medium water
34	Malta	215	22	12	Medium water
35	Austria	214	21	12	Medium water
36	Bosnia & Herzegovina	214	21	12	Medium water
37	Poland	214	21	12	Medium water
38	Ukraine	210	21	12	Medium water
39	Moldova	207	21	12	Medium water
40	Armenia	205	21	11	Medium water
41	Algeria	200	20	11	Medium water
42	Estonia	200	20	11	Medium water
43	Iran	200	20	11	Medium water
44	Ireland	200	20	11	Medium water
45	Mexico	200	20	11	Medium water
46	Slovakia	200	20	11	Medium water
47	Sri Lanka	200	20	11	Medium water
48	Azerbaijan	195	20	11	Medium water
49	Kenya	180	18	10	Medium water
50	Latvia	180	18	10	Medium water
51	Mongolia	180	18	10	Medium water
52	Switzerland	180	18	10	Medium water
53	Angola	165	17	9	Medium water
54	Czechia	160	16	9	Medium water
55	Egypt	160	16	9	Medium water
56	Peru	160	16	9	Medium water
57	Uganda	160	16	9	Medium water
58	China	150	15	8	Medium water
59	Kazakhstan	150	15	8	Medium water
60	Montenegro	150	15	8	Medium water
61	Saudi Arabia	150	15	8	Medium water
62	United States	150	15	8	Medium water
63	Uzbekistan	150	15	8	Medium water
64	Netherlands	143	14	8	Soft water
65	Türkiye	140	14	8	Soft water
66	Greece	137	14	8	Soft water
67	Romania	137	14	8	Soft water
68	Indonesia	130	13	7	Soft water
69	Sudan	130	13	7	Soft water
70	United Kingdom	121	12	7	Soft water
71	Bulgaria	120	12	7	Soft water
72	Canada	120	12	7	Soft water
73	Philippines	120	12	7	Soft water
74	Tanzania	120	12	7	Soft water
75	Thailand	120	12	7	Soft water
76	United Arab Emirates	120	12	7	Soft water
77	Nigeria	110	11	6	Soft water
78	Cyprus	105	11	6	Soft water
79	Portugal	100	10	6	Soft water
80	South Africa	100	10	6	Soft water
81	Sweden	100	10	6	Soft water
82	Kyrgyzstan	95	10	5	Soft water
83	Bahrain	90	9	5	Soft water
84	Ghana	90	9	5	Soft water
85	Iraq	90	9	5	Soft water
86	Qatar	90	9	5	Soft water
87	Uruguay	90	9	5	Soft water
88	Cameroon	80	8	4	Soft water
89	Lesotho	80	8	4	Soft water
90	Argentina	75	8	4	Soft water
91	Kuwait	70	7	4	Soft water
92	Vietnam	68	7	4	Soft water
93	Malaysia	65	7	4	Soft water
94	Burkina Faso	60	6	3	Soft water
95	Finland	60	6	3	Soft water
96	Israel	60	6	3	Soft water
97	Malawi	60	6	3	Soft water
98	South Korea	60	6	3	Soft water
99	Australia	58	6	3	Soft water
100	Botswana	58	6	3	Soft water
101	Costa Rica	50	5	3	Soft water
102	Ethiopia	50	5	3	Soft water
103	Gabon	50	5	3	Soft water
104	Japan	50	5	3	Soft water
105	Oman	50	5	3	Soft water
106	Panama	50	5	3	Soft water
107	Singapore	43	4	2	Soft water
108	New Zealand	42	4	2	Soft water
109	Norway	41	4	2	Soft water
110	Brazil	40	4	2	Soft water
111	Congo - Brazzaville	40	4	2	Soft water
112	Ecuador	40	4	2	Soft water
113	Hong Kong SAR China	40	4	2	Soft water
114	Taiwan	33	3	2	Soft water
115	Benin	30	3	2	Soft water
116	Colombia	30	3	2	Soft water
117	Côte d’Ivoire	30	3	2	Soft water
118	Congo - Kinshasa	30	3	2	Soft water
119	Iceland	25	3	1	Soft water
120	Madagascar	25	3	1	Soft water
121	Rwanda	25	3	1	Soft water

Detailed country maps

These countries have a region-by-region water-hardness map, with sources and recommendations.

Find the hardness in your area

Type your US ZIP code straight into the map search to see your state's water hardness, or pick your country to browse regions.

Find my region

Recommendations based on your water hardness

Hardness reflects how much dissolved calcium and magnesium your water carries. Whatever unit the map shows, here are our recommendations based on your water hardness level:

Soft water

Your water is naturally soft. An anti-limescale device is not essential, but the LIMPEO can improve taste and provide preventive protection for your plumbing.

Medium water

Your water is starting to deposit limescale. A LIMPEO J-250 device is recommended to protect your pipes and household appliances.

Hard water

Limescale builds up rapidly in your plumbing. A LIMPEO J-250 or J-320 device is strongly recommended to reduce scaling and save up to 25% on your energy bills.

Very hard water

Your water is very hard: high risk of deposits, appliance breakdowns, and excessive energy consumption. A LIMPEO J-320 or J-630 is essential to protect your installation.

What is water hardness?

Water hardness measures the concentration of dissolved calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) ions in water. Every country expresses it in its own unit: French degrees (°f), German degrees (°dH), parts per million (ppm, i.e. mg/L of CaCO₃), or grains per gallon (gpg) in the United States. This map lets you switch freely between these units. The exact thresholds differ slightly from one country to the next, but the principle is the same everywhere: the higher the value, the harder the water and the more limescale it leaves behind. Soft water carries few minerals; hard water carries many.

Why hardness varies from region to region

Water hardness depends above all on the geology the water flows through before reaching your tap. Sedimentary ground rich in limestone and chalk — common across much of Europe, the southern United States, and the Middle East — dissolves calcium and magnesium and produces hard water. Granitic and volcanic terrain (ancient massifs, mountain ranges, crystalline regions) yields soft water instead. That is why two cities in the same country, or even two neighbourhoods, can receive very different water. Hard water has the same consequences everywhere: it scales pipes and water heaters, lowers appliance efficiency, and pushes up energy bills.

What to do about hard water

If your region shows up as hard or very hard, protecting your plumbing quickly pays off. The LIMPEO electromagnetic descaler generates a pulsed magnetic field that modifies calcium carbonate crystallisation: instead of forming calcite (hard, adhesive crystals), calcium transforms into aragonite (fine, non-adhesive crystals). The result: limescale no longer deposits on surfaces and existing deposits gradually dissolve. The technology requires no salt, no chemicals, and no maintenance, and works whatever your starting hardness. LIMPEO is manufactured in France by MAGIIC SAS and backed by a 10-year repairability commitment.

Frequently asked questions about water hardness

Protect your home from limescale

Discover the LIMPEO range: electromagnetic descaler with no salt, no chemicals, no maintenance. Made in France, 10-year repairability commitment.

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LIMPEO product range

Discover our 4 electromagnetic descaler models for residential and professional use.

Solutions by home type

Find the right LIMPEO solution for your house, apartment, water heater, or pool.

Anti-limescale comparisons

Compare LIMPEO with salt softeners, Vulcan, Culligan, and other descaling systems.

Scientific validation

Clinical studies and scientific evidence of electromagnetic water treatment.

World water hardness map

The hardest and softest water in the world

Hardest water

Softest water

Detailed country maps

Brazil

Canada

France

Germany

Italy

Mexico

Netherlands

Portugal

Spain

United Kingdom

United States