Tap water in NE18, NorthumberlandSafe to drink.Hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 1,606 samples, 20 substances, latest on 8 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.3 / 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 180 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 NE18 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 58% of it. 17 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Fluoride58%
- Nitrate13%
- Colour9%
- Aluminium6%
- Turbidity6%
- Iron5%
- Bromate5%
- Nickel4%
- Antimony3%
- Selenium2%
- Boron2%
- Arsenic1%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite1%
- Manganese<1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Copper<1%
- pH 7.2 pH
- Conductivity 290 µS/cm
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.2 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Iron | 0.011 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Turbidity | 0.23 NTU | 4 NTU | 6% |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.00045 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Colour | 1.7 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 9% |
| Conductivity | 290 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrate | 6.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 13% |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.0016 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Nickel | 0.00077 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Lead | 0.000065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00015 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Boron | 0.02 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.87 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 58% |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
180mg of limescale minerals in every litre
This is the water that furs up kettles
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 NE18
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Your river is the Pont from Fenwick Burn to Med Burn, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Pont from Fenwick Burn to Med Burn as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. 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.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
63
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 2 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.023 µg/L, at Med Burn at Medburn, 4.2 km away, in January 2025. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Newcastle · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
NE18 in short
Tap water in NE18 (Northumberland) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the Northumberland Central zone and scores 9.3 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 8 December 2025.
- Fluoride is the reading closest to its limit, at 58% of the 1.5 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 20th cleanest of 28 areas tested in Northumberland8 areas in Northumberland scored lower. The best is NE41 on 9.8.
- Hard water at 180 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in NE18. How hardness is measured
Questions about NE18 water
Is NE18 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, NE18 (Northumberland) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Northumbrian Water.
What contaminants are in NE18 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in NE18 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 NE18?
NE18 (Northumberland) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is NE18 water hard or soft?
Water in NE18 (Northumberland) has a hardness of 180 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in NE18?
NE18 water scored 9.3/10 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 NE18 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for NE18 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 63 river and groundwater samples from 2 sites within 10 km of NE18, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.023 µg/L about 4.2 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 NE18?
The Environment Agency rated the Pont from Fenwick Burn to Med Burn as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. 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. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in NE18, 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 NE18
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 NE18.