Tap water in LS23, LeedsSafe to drink.Slightly hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 367 samples, 24 substances, latest on 28 August 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.4 / 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 LS23 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 33% of it. 18 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes33%
- Bromate26%
- Iron18%
- Colour15%
- Manganese9%
- Nitrate7%
- Fluoride6%
- Aluminium6%
- Turbidity6%
- Nickel5%
- Mercury4%
- Antimony2%
- Copper2%
- Boron2%
- Nitrite2%
- Arsenic1%
- Selenium1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 368 µS/cm
- Phosphate 0.296 mg/L
All 24 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 |
| Iron | 0.0369 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 18% |
| Manganese | 0.0045 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 9% |
| Aluminium | 0.0113 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Nitrite | 0.008 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 3.73 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 7% |
| Conductivity | 368 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.22 NTU | 4 NTU | 6% |
| Phosphate | 0.296 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Fluoride | 0.09 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.0026 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 26% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Boron | 0.0218 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00093 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 5% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.033 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 33% |
| Copper | 0.0438 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Arsenic | 0.00013 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Antimony | 0.000113 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
137mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the LS area. LS23 has no reading of its own.
Middling hardness. Some scale, slowly
Below the point where a softener pays for itself. Descaling the kettle now and then is all most homes need.
Your river is the Wharfe from Collingham Beck to Tadcaster Weir, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Wharfe from Collingham Beck to Tadcaster Weir 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
92
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 4 sites. The highest was PFOS at 0.041 µg/L, at Wharfe Above Tadcaster Weir, 5.7 km away, in November 2023. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around York · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
LS23 in short
Tap water in LS23 (Leeds) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the Leeds Central zone and scores 9.4 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 24 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 28 August 2026.
- 24th cleanest of 28 areas tested in Leeds4 areas in Leeds scored lower. The best is LS21 on 9.7. Every area in Leeds
- PFAS found at 4 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFOS about 5.7 km away. What was measured
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Trihalomethanes at 33% of the 0.1 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about LS23 water
Is LS23 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, LS23 (Leeds) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 24 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in LS23 water?
We tested 24 contaminants in LS23 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 LS23?
LS23 (Leeds) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is LS23 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for LS23 itself. Across the LS postcode area the typical value is 137 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately hard. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in LS23?
LS23 water scored 9.4/10 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 LS23 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for LS23 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 92 river and groundwater samples from 4 sites within 10 km of LS23, the highest being PFOS at 0.041 µg/L about 5.7 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 LS23?
The Environment Agency rated the Wharfe from Collingham Beck to Tadcaster Weir 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 LS23, 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 LS23
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 LS23.