Tap water in BH20, DorsetToo few tap tests to call it.Very hard.
Supplied by Wessex Water. 13 substances, latest on 1 September 2026. These are river and groundwater samples near BH20, not tests of treated tap water, so treat the score as a rough guide.
8.7 / 10
The tank is as full as the score. The specks are the minerals that make water hard.
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 305 mg/L a softener is the only thing that stops limescale. Filters do not soften water.
It pays for itself in most homes at this hardness, through a boiler that stays efficient and appliances that last.
ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour
£40typical price
Households concerned about PFAS and heavy metals
Waterdrop 10UA Under Sink
£70typical price
High-volume under-sink filtration without RO complexity
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What's in a glass of BH20 water
Every bubble is a substance the lab measured. The higher it floats, the closer it came to its legal limit, the dashed line at the top.
Turbidity came closest to a limit, at 48% of it. 5 of 7 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Turbidity48%
- Iron29%
- Nickel15%
- Nitrate11%
- Ammonia11%
- Nitrite3%
- Copper<1%
- pH 7.82 pH
- Temperature 15.1 °C
- Conductivity 579 µS/cm
- Phosphate 0.018 mg/L
- Zinc 0.0049 mg/L
- Dissolved Oxygen 10.3 mg/L
All 13 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.82 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Temperature | 15.1 °C | No legal limit | – |
| Conductivity | 579 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrate | 5.7 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 11% |
| Nitrite | 0.014 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 3% |
| Phosphate | 0.018 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Zinc | 0.0049 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Nickel | 0.003 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 15% |
| Turbidity | 1.9 NTU | 4 NTU | 48% |
| Copper | 0.00036 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Iron | 0.058 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 29% |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 10.3 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Ammonia | 0.057 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
305mg of limescale minerals in every litre
This is the water that furs up kettles
Very hard on the UK scale. It is fine to drink. It is hard on boilers, showers, skin and anything that heats water, and a jug or tap filter will not change that.
Softener quotes for BH20
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Your river is the Piddle (Lower), rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Piddle (Lower) as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by fish and water plants and algae. It fails the chemical test, as every river, estuary and stretch of coast in England does, because of long-lasting pollutants such as mercury, PFOS (a forever chemical) and old flame retardants. Its ecological rating has dropped since the previous assessment.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
BH20 in short
Tap water in BH20 (Dorset) is supplied by Wessex Water in the Dorset Central zone and scores 8.7 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 13 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 1 September 2026.
- Among the hardest water in the country at 305 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in BH20. How hardness is measured
- Turbidity is the reading closest to its limit, at 48% of the 4 NTU maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 9th cleanest of 18 areas tested in DorsetSquarely mid-table for Dorset, between DT1 on 9.7 and BH19 on 4.8.
Questions about BH20 water
Is BH20 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, BH20 (Dorset) water scores 8.7/10, which is safe. 0 of 13 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Wessex Water.
What contaminants are in BH20 water?
We tested 13 contaminants in BH20 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in BH20?
BH20 (Dorset) is supplied by Wessex Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is BH20 water hard or soft?
Water in BH20 (Dorset) has a hardness of 305 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as very hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in BH20?
BH20 water scored 8.7/10 with no contaminants above recommended levels. A filter is optional but can improve taste, especially if you notice a chlorine flavour. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in BH20 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for BH20, and the Environment Agency has no PFAS detections in rivers or groundwater within 10 km of it. That reflects where sampling has happened as much as the water itself.
How clean is the river near BH20?
The Environment Agency rated the Piddle (Lower) as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by fish and water plants and algae. It fails the chemical test, as every river, estuary and stretch of coast in England does, because of long-lasting pollutants such as mercury, PFOS (a forever chemical) and old flame retardants. Its ecological rating has dropped since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in BH20, which is treated before it reaches homes.
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