Tap water in BH31, DorsetToo few tap tests to call it.Very hard.
Supplied by Wessex Water. 13 substances, latest on 5 October 2026. These are river and groundwater samples near BH31, not tests of treated tap water, so treat the score as a rough guide.
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 BH31 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.
Aluminium came closest to a limit, at 65% of it. 6 of 7 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Aluminium65%
- Nickel21%
- Nitrate11%
- Ammonia6%
- Chromium2%
- Nitrite<1%
- Copper<1%
- pH 7.56 pH
- Temperature 13.6 °C
- Conductivity 482 µS/cm
- Phosphate 0.014 mg/L
- Dissolved Oxygen 9.52 mg/L
- Zinc 0.0069 mg/L
All 13 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.56 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Temperature | 13.6 °C | No legal limit | – |
| Conductivity | 482 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrate | 5.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 11% |
| Phosphate | 0.014 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 9.52 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrite | 0.0047 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Zinc | 0.0069 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Chromium | 0.000781 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.00427 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 21% |
| Aluminium | 0.13 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 65% |
| Copper | 0.00181 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Ammonia | 0.031 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
295mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the BH area. BH31 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 BH31
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Your river is the Crane (Dorset), rated bad
The Environment Agency rated the Crane (Dorset) as bad for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is severely damaged, with most of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by fish. 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
BH31 in short
Tap water in BH31 (Dorset) is supplied by Wessex Water in the Dorset Central zone and scores 8.9 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 5 October 2026.
- Aluminium is the reading closest to its limit, at 65% of the 0.2 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- Very hard water at 295 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles across the BH postcode area. How hardness is measured
- 7th cleanest of 18 areas tested in DorsetSquarely mid-table for Dorset, between DT1 on 9.7 and BH19 on 4.8.
Questions about BH31 water
Is BH31 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, BH31 (Dorset) water scores 8.9/10, which is safe. 0 of 13 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Wessex Water.
What contaminants are in BH31 water?
We tested 13 contaminants in BH31 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in BH31?
BH31 (Dorset) is supplied by Wessex Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is BH31 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for BH31 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 BH31?
BH31 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 BH31 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for BH31, 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 BH31?
The Environment Agency rated the Crane (Dorset) as bad for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is severely damaged, with most of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by fish. 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 BH31, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
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