Tap water in DH6, County DurhamSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 4,965 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.7 / 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 480 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 DH6 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.
Fluoride came closest to a limit, at 17% of it. 18 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Fluoride17%
- Aluminium6%
- Colour6%
- Turbidity5%
- Bromate5%
- Iron5%
- Nickel3%
- Antimony3%
- Nitrate3%
- Selenium2%
- Arsenic1%
- Chromium1%
- Manganese1%
- Nitrite1%
- Boron1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Copper<1%
- pH 7.6 pH
- Conductivity 160 µS/cm
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.6 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Manganese | 0.00065 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Conductivity | 160 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Iron | 0.0093 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Colour | 1.1 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 6% |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Nickel | 0.00068 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 3% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00015 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Boron | 0.012 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 1% |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Copper | 0.0014 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Lead | 0.000065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Fluoride | 0.25 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 17% |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrate | 1.6 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 3% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
480mg 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 DH6
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Your river is the Old Durham Beck from Chapman Beck to Wear, rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Old Durham Beck from Chapman Beck to Wear 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 water plants and algae, phosphate and insects and other small river life. 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.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
DH6 in short
Tap water in DH6 (County Durham) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the County Durham Central zone and scores 9.7 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 20 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 19 December 2025.
- Among the hardest water in the country at 480 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in DH6. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 22 areas tested in County DurhamOnly 1 area in County Durham scored higher. The best is DH1 on 9.7.
- 0.7 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
Questions about DH6 water
Is DH6 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, DH6 (County Durham) water scores 9.7/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Northumbrian Water.
What contaminants are in DH6 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in DH6 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in DH6?
DH6 (County Durham) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is DH6 water hard or soft?
Water in DH6 (County Durham) has a hardness of 480 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 DH6?
DH6 water scored 9.7/10 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 DH6 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for DH6, 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 DH6?
The Environment Agency rated the Old Durham Beck from Chapman Beck to Wear 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 water plants and algae, phosphate and insects and other small river life. 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. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in DH6, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- 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?
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- 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
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near DH6
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 DH6.