Tap water in NG18, MansfieldSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Severn Trent. 1,205 samples, 20 substances, latest on 17 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, nitrate, sits close to the line.
8.5 / 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 341 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.
Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis
£550typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in NG18.
Osmio PRO-III Ultimate Whole House
£499typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in NG18.
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What's in a glass of NG18 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.
Nitrate came closest to a limit, at 81% of it. 14 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate81%
- Fluoride67%
- Lead26%
- Aluminium11%
- Arsenic9%
- Nickel5%
- Trihalomethanes4%
- Colour4%
- Iron3%
- Turbidity3%
- Nitrite3%
- Manganese1%
- Selenium1%
- Antimony1%
- Copper1%
- Chromium<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Conductivity 593 µS/cm
- pH 7.67 pH
- Phosphate 0.699 mg/L
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 40.7 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 81% |
| Colour | 0.8 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 4% |
| Turbidity | 0.12 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00073 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Copper | 0.0234 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 1% |
| Fluoride | 1.01 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 67% |
| Arsenic | 0.00094 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 9% |
| Cadmium | 0.00002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Conductivity | 593 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Chromium | 0.00042 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.001 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 5% |
| Lead | 0.00256 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 26% |
| Antimony | 0.000059 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Selenium | 0.00054 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0041 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 4% |
| pH | 7.67 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrite | 0.013 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 3% |
| Aluminium | 0.021 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 11% |
| Iron | 0.007 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Phosphate | 0.699 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
341mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the NG area. NG18 has no reading of its own.
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 NG18
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Your river is the Maun from Source to Vicar Water, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Maun from Source to Vicar Water 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, 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
15
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 1 site. The highest was PFHxS (linear) at 0.0031 µg/L, at RSN1588 the Dumbles, Papplewick, 7.3 km away, in September 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Nottingham · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
NG18 in short
Tap water in NG18 (Mansfield) is supplied by Severn Trent in the Mansfield Central zone and scores 8.5 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. 1 of 20 tested substances was close to or over a limit. The latest sample is from 17 December 2025.
- Nitrate is within its legal limit but flagged, at 81% of the 50 mg/L maximumAnything over three quarters of a limit is flagged here as worth watching. It has not gone over. See every reading
- The lowest score of the 3 areas tested in MansfieldNG18 scores 8.5 out of 10. The best in Mansfield, NG19, scores 8.7.
- Among the hardest water in the country at 341 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase across the NG postcode area. How hardness is measured
Questions about NG18 water
Is NG18 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, NG18 (Mansfield) water scores 8.5/10, which is safe. 1 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.
What contaminants are in NG18 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in NG18 water. 1 were flagged, including Nitrate. 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 NG18?
NG18 (Mansfield) is supplied by Severn Trent. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is NG18 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for NG18 itself. Across the NG postcode area the typical value is 341 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 NG18?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in NG18, a water filter could help. A reverse osmosis or activated carbon filter is recommended for PFAS removal. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in NG18 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for NG18 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 15 river and groundwater samples from 1 sites within 10 km of NG18, the highest being PFHxS (linear) at 0.0031 µg/L about 7.3 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 NG18?
The Environment Agency rated the Maun from Source to Vicar Water 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, 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 NG18, 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?
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
- 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 explainedNitrate levelsHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near NG18
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 |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.83 pH | None |
| Temperature | 17.5 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 902 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.047 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 14 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.036 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.35 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 8.92 mg/L | None |
| Copper | 0.002 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0148 mg/L | None |
| Cadmium | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Aluminium | 0.011 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
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