265mg of limescale minerals in every litre, the median across YO districts
Is York a hard water area?
Yes. Tap water across the YO postcode area is very hard, the top band on the scale water companies use, with a median of 265 mg/L calcium carbonate. It ranges from 61 mg/L in YO22 to 309 mg/L in YO18, from 28 districts with their own water company reading and 1 estimated from the area.
- Soft
- 0 to 60 mg/L
- Moderately soft
- 60 to 120 mg/L
- Slightly hard
- 120 to 180 mg/L
- Hard
- 180 to 200 mg/L
- Very hard
- 200 to 400 mg/L
Hardness by YO district
Hardest first. Hard starts at 180 mg/L, very hard at 250. Districts marked with an asterisk take the area's median rather than a reading of their own.
| District | Area | mg/L | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|
| YO18 | North Yorkshire | 309 | very hard |
| YO19 | York | 308 | very hard |
| YO41 | East Riding of Yorkshire | 300 | very hard |
| YO62 | North Yorkshire | 299 | very hard |
| YO15 | East Riding of Yorkshire | 297 | very hard |
| YO16 | East Riding of Yorkshire | 296 | very hard |
| YO42 | East Riding of Yorkshire | 296 | very hard |
| YO17 | North Yorkshire | 295 | very hard |
| YO25 | East Riding of Yorkshire | 294 | very hard |
| YO60 | North Yorkshire | 287 | very hard |
| YO8 | North Yorkshire | 279 | very hard |
| YO24 | York | 279 | very hard |
| YO23 | York | 272 | very hard |
| YO10 | York | 268 | very hard |
| YO43* | East Riding of Yorkshire | 265 | very hard |
| YO1 | York | 262 | very hard |
| YO26 | York | 254 | very hard |
| YO32 | York | 253 | very hard |
| YO31 | York | 248 | hard |
| YO7 | North Yorkshire | 246 | hard |
| YO51 | North Yorkshire | 221 | hard |
| YO61 | North Yorkshire | 208 | hard |
| YO30 | York | 206 | hard |
| YO13 | North Yorkshire | 196 | hard |
| YO14 | North Yorkshire | 190 | hard |
| YO12 | North Yorkshire | 174 | moderately hard |
| YO11 | North Yorkshire | 170 | moderately hard |
| YO21 | North Yorkshire | 73 | moderately soft |
| YO22 | North Yorkshire | 61 | moderately soft |
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 265 mg/L most YO homes get their money back on a softener within a few years. A filter will not touch limescale; only a softener does.
- Free quotes
- Local installers
- No obligation
Check your own district first
The area figure is a median. Your district can sit anywhere between 61 and 309 mg/L.
Softener quotes for York
At 265 mg/L most YO homes get their money back on a softener within a few years. Free quotes from installers covering your postcode.
Request a free assessment and we'll come back to you with local installer options for your area.
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Before you buy
- Do I need a water softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and when the answer is no
- Best water softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared
- Water softener costUnit, fitting and salt, and how long the payback takes
- Installation explainedWhere it goes, the bypass tap, the drain, DIY or plumber
- Harvey vs KineticoThe two premium twin-cylinder brands, side by side
- Softener salt guideTablet, block or granular, and how much you get through
- Salt-free softenersConditioners and electronic descalers, honestly assessed
Questions about York water
Is York a hard water area?
Yes. The median hardness across YO postcode districts is 265 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is very hard. 86% of the 29 districts we hold readings for are hard or very hard (180 mg/L and above).
What is the water hardness in York?
Between 61 and 309 mg/L depending on the district, with a median of 265. The hardest measured district is YO18 at 309 mg/L and the softest is YO22 at 61. Figures come from water company drinking-water tests, with postcode-area estimates for districts that have no reading of their own.
Do I need a water softener in York?
In most YO homes a softener pays for itself: at 265 mg/L kettles, boilers and showers scale up quickly. Check your own district first, because hardness varies from 61 to 309 within the area.
Hardness as mg/L calcium carbonate from water company drinking-water tests and postcode checkers. See the UK hardness map for every area.