Tap water in NE3, Newcastle upon TyneSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 6,149 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 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 225 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 NE3 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 61% of it. 17 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Fluoride61%
- Nitrate10%
- Colour9%
- Aluminium9%
- Nickel7%
- Bromate5%
- Turbidity5%
- Antimony3%
- Iron3%
- Selenium2%
- Arsenic2%
- Boron2%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite1%
- Lead<1%
- Manganese<1%
- Copper<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- pH 7.9 pH
- Conductivity 390 µS/cm
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.9 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Lead | 0.000065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Iron | 0.0052 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Colour | 1.8 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 9% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Nitrate | 4.8 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 10% |
| Manganese | 0.00028 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.01 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Boron | 0.017 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 2% |
| Aluminium | 0.017 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 9% |
| Conductivity | 390 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Arsenic | 0.0002 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.91 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 61% |
| Nickel | 0.0014 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 7% |
225mg 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 NE3
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Your river is the Ouse Burn from Source to Tyne, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Ouse Burn from Source to Tyne 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, insects and other small river life and phosphate. 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
39
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 2 sites. The highest was PFBS at 0.0067 µg/L, at Team at Third Avenue Bridge, 8.0 km away, in July 2026. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Newcastle · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
NE3 in short
Tap water in NE3 (Newcastle upon Tyne) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the Newcastle upon Tyne 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 19 December 2025.
- Fluoride is the reading closest to its limit, at 61% of the 1.5 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- Hard water at 225 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in NE3. How hardness is measured
- 6th cleanest of 9 areas tested in NewcastleSquarely mid-table for Newcastle, between NE7 on 9.6 and NE6 on 9.2. Every area in Newcastle
Questions about NE3 water
Is NE3 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, NE3 (Newcastle upon Tyne) 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 NE3 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in NE3 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 NE3?
NE3 (Newcastle upon Tyne) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is NE3 water hard or soft?
Water in NE3 (Newcastle upon Tyne) has a hardness of 225 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 NE3?
NE3 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 NE3 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for NE3 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 39 river and groundwater samples from 2 sites within 10 km of NE3, the highest being PFBS at 0.0067 µg/L about 8 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 NE3?
The Environment Agency rated the Ouse Burn from Source to Tyne 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, insects and other small river life and phosphate. 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 NE3, 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 kitsAll of NewcastleUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near NE3
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.
| Substance | Reading | Drinking water limit |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.568 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 8.42 pH | None |
| Temperature | 15.2 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 613 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 0.73 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.32 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 8.59 mg/L | None |
| Nitrite | 0.0044 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Ammonia | 0.083 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Mercury | 0.000015 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.0029 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0055 mg/L | None |
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