Data Methodology & Testing
Transparency is at the core of our platform. Here is exactly how we source, verify, and calculate the water hardness data for over 10,000 European municipalities.
1. Primary Data Aggregation
Our baseline data is sourced directly from legally mandated municipal water reports. Under the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), water utility companies are required to publish routine biochemical analyses.
- We parse PDF and CSV reports from regional water authorities.
- Data is captured bi-annually to account for seasonal reservoir shifts.
- We aggregate historical data dating back to 2015 for trend forecasting.
2. Standardization to mg/L
Because Europe lacks a single unified metric for water hardness, municipalities publish data in German Degrees (°dH), French Degrees (°fH), English Degrees (°e), or millimoles per liter (mmol/L). Our proprietary algorithm converts all localized metrics into a standardized milligrams per liter (mg/L) of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO₃) equivalent to allow for accurate cross-border comparisons.
3. Spatial Interpolation
For smaller towns lacking published municipal data, we utilize a geospatial estimation model. By analyzing the primary water source (e.g., groundwater aquifer vs. surface river) and mapping it against known data points in neighboring municipalities sharing the same hydro-geological basin, we project an estimated mg/L value with a ±10% margin of error.
Expert Review Process
Algorithmic outputs are periodically spot-checked by certified water systems engineers. We cross-reference our digital projections against physical titration tests (EDTA method) submitted by our commercial partners across Europe.
Dr. Elena Rostova
Senior Technical Reviewer