Tap water in NG21, GedlingSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Severn Trent. 833 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, nitrate, sits close to the line.
9.2 / 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 NG21.
Osmio PRO-III Ultimate Whole House
£499typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in NG21.
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What's in a glass of NG21 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 86% of it. 16 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate86%
- Aluminium11%
- Arsenic8%
- Iron6%
- Nickel5%
- Colour4%
- Turbidity3%
- Fluoride3%
- Nitrite3%
- Manganese1%
- Lead1%
- Selenium1%
- Antimony1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Trihalomethanes0%
- pH 7.43 pH
- Conductivity 783 µS/cm
- Phosphate 0.676 mg/L
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 43 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 86% |
| Colour | 0.8 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 4% |
| Turbidity | 0.12 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Iron | 0.0123 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.00073 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Copper | 0.0089 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Fluoride | 0.04 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 3% |
| Arsenic | 0.0008 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 8% |
| Cadmium | 0.00001 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00042 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.001 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 5% |
| Lead | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Antimony | 0.000059 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Selenium | 0.00053 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| pH | 7.43 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrite | 0.013 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 3% |
| Aluminium | 0.021 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 11% |
| Conductivity | 783 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Trihalomethanes | 0 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | <1% |
| Phosphate | 0.676 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
341mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the NG area. NG21 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 NG21
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Your river is the Rainworth Water from Source to Gallow Hole Dyke, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Rainworth Water from Source to Gallow Hole Dyke as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by phosphate, fish 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
NG21 in short
Tap water in NG21 (Gedling) is supplied by Severn Trent in the Gedling Central zone and scores 9.2 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 19 December 2025.
- Nitrate is within its legal limit but flagged, at 86% 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
- 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
- Right on the national average of 9 out of 10Most of the country's tested districts land within half a point of NG21. Compare every area
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Questions about NG21 water
Is NG21 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, NG21 (Gedling) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 1 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.
What contaminants are in NG21 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in NG21 water. 1 were flagged, including Nitrate.
Who supplies water in NG21?
NG21 (Gedling) is supplied by Severn Trent. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is NG21 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for NG21 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 NG21?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in NG21, a water filter could help. A filter jug or under-sink filter can reduce most common contaminants. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in NG21 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for NG21, and the Environment Agency has no PFAS detections in rivers or groundwater within 10 km of it. That reflects where sampling has happened as much as the water itself.
How clean is the river near NG21?
The Environment Agency rated the Rainworth Water from Source to Gallow Hole Dyke as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by phosphate, fish 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 NG21, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- 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
Nitrate levelsHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near NG21
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 NG21.