Tap water in LS21, LeedsSafe to drink.Moderately soft.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 661 samples, 22 substances, latest on 25 September 2026. 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
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
BRITA Marella XL + MAXTRA PRO
£25typical price
Basic chlorine and taste improvement on a budget
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What's in a glass of LS21 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.
Trihalomethanes came closest to a limit, at 25% of it. 16 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes25%
- Colour15%
- Nitrate7%
- Aluminium6%
- Iron3%
- Bromate3%
- Nickel3%
- Turbidity3%
- Lead3%
- Manganese2%
- Nitrite2%
- Selenium1%
- Arsenic1%
- Antimony<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- E. coli none found
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- Conductivity 331 µS/cm
- Phosphate 1.29 mg/L
All 22 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Conductivity | 331 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.11 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Aluminium | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.00629 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00101 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Phosphate | 1.29 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Bromate | 0.0003 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Copper | 0.00216 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrite | 0.008 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 3.73 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 7% |
| Lead | 0.00025 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0254 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 25% |
| Arsenic | 0.0001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Antimony | 0.000044 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00056 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 3% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 43.7 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
80mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Soft water. Kind to kettles, boilers and skin
You will not need a softener here, and you will use less soap and detergent than most of England.
Your river is the Wharfe from Hundwith Beck to River Washburn, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Wharfe from Hundwith Beck to River Washburn as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by 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.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
35
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 2 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.043 µg/L, at Adel Beck at Adel Mill Bridge, 8.4 km away, in May 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Leeds · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
LS21 in short
Tap water in LS21 (Leeds) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the Leeds Central zone and scores 9.7 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 22 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 25 September 2026.
- The cleanest tap water of the 28 areas tested in LeedsLS21 scores 9.7 out of 10, ahead of BD11 in second place on 9.6. Every area in Leeds
- Scores higher than all 10 neighbouring districtsThe nearest rival is LS3 on 9.6, against 9.7 here. Compare with LS3
- 0.7 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
Questions about LS21 water
Is LS21 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, LS21 (Leeds) water scores 9.7/10, which is safe. 0 of 22 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in LS21 water?
We tested 22 contaminants in LS21 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 LS21?
LS21 (Leeds) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is LS21 water hard or soft?
Water in LS21 (Leeds) has a hardness of 80 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately soft. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in LS21?
LS21 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 LS21 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for LS21 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 35 river and groundwater samples from 2 sites within 10 km of LS21, the highest being PFOA at 0.043 µg/L about 8.4 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 LS21?
The Environment Agency rated the Wharfe from Hundwith Beck to River Washburn as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by 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. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in LS21, 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
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of LeedsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near LS21
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 LS21.