Tap water in BH25, New ForestSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Southern Water. 626 samples, 16 substances, latest on 22 January 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
8.9 / 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 295 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 BH25 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.
Nitrate came closest to a limit, at 68% of it. 10 of 12 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate68%
- Trihalomethanes35%
- Colour15%
- Iron10%
- Lead9%
- Nickel8%
- Ammonia4%
- Manganese3%
- Turbidity3%
- Aluminium3%
- Copper1%
- Nitrite<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- pH 7.9 pH
- Conductivity 546 µS/cm
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Turbidity | 0.13 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| pH | 7.9 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrate | 34 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 68% |
| Nitrite | 0.003 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Aluminium | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Iron | 0.0205 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 10% |
| Manganese | 0.0017 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 3% |
| Copper | 0.025 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 1% |
| Nickel | 0.0016 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 8% |
| Lead | 0.0009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 9% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0346 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 35% |
| Conductivity | 546 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Ammonia | 0.02 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 4% |
295mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the BH area. BH25 has no reading of its own.
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 BH25
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Your river is the Becton Bunny, rated good
The Environment Agency rated the Becton Bunny as good for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is only slightly changed from its natural state. 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 improved since the previous assessment.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
143
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 3 sites. The highest was N-MeFOSA at 0.016 µg/L, at Hampshire Avon at Knapp Mill, 8.8 km away, in October 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Bournemouth · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
BH25 in short
Tap water in BH25 (New Forest) is supplied by Southern Water in the New Forest Central zone and scores 8.9 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 16 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 22 January 2026.
- The lowest score of the 8 areas tested in New ForestBH25 scores 8.9 out of 10. The best in New Forest, SP6, scores 9.8.
- Every one of the 7 neighbouring districts scores higherSP6 next door scores 9.8, against 8.9 here. Supply zones, not distance, explain the gap. See SP6
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 68% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
Questions about BH25 water
Is BH25 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, BH25 (New Forest) water scores 8.9/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Southern Water.
What contaminants are in BH25 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in BH25 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels. PFAS (forever chemicals) were also measured in rivers and groundwater within 10 km, though not in the tap-water tests themselves.
Who supplies water in BH25?
BH25 (New Forest) is supplied by Southern Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is BH25 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for BH25 itself. Across the BH postcode area the typical value is 295 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 BH25?
BH25 water scored 8.9/10 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 BH25 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for BH25 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 143 river and groundwater samples from 3 sites within 10 km of BH25, the highest being N-MeFOSA at 0.016 µg/L about 8.8 km away. These are environmental samples, not tests of tap water. The UK currently has no legal limit for PFAS in drinking water; the Drinking Water Inspectorate uses a 0.1 µg/L guideline for individual compounds. Reverse osmosis filters can reduce PFAS levels.
How clean is the river near BH25?
The Environment Agency rated the Becton Bunny as good for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is only slightly changed from its natural state. 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 improved since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in BH25, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- Best Filter for PFAS RemovalThe filters with independent certification to remove forever chemicals
- PFAS Forever ChemicalsWhat PFAS are and how to reduce your exposure at home
- Best Water Softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared, with real costs
- Do I Need a Water Softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and a postcode check
- UK Water Hardness MapIs your water hard or soft, and does it matter?
- 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
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near BH25
Environment Agency samples from rivers, groundwater and reservoirs nearby. Not your tap water. For scale they are shown against drinking water limits; rivers are judged against much stricter environmental standards, and on those every river in England fails for chemicals.
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for BH25.