Tap water in RG25, Basingstoke and DeaneSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Southern Water. 11,265 samples, 22 substances, latest on 29 April 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
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 295 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 RG25 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 51% of it. 17 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate51%
- Colour15%
- Bromate10%
- Copper8%
- Trihalomethanes8%
- Ammonia8%
- Arsenic7%
- Nickel6%
- Aluminium6%
- Iron5%
- Manganese4%
- Turbidity3%
- Nitrite2%
- Selenium1%
- Antimony<1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 519 µS/cm
- pH 8.1 pH
All 22 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 |
| Conductivity | 519 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Bromate | 0.00096 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 10% |
| pH | 8.1 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrate | 25.6 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 51% |
| Aluminium | 0.0113 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.00928 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Manganese | 0.00178 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 4% |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Turbidity | 0.13 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0081 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 8% |
| Nitrite | 0.009 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.039 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 8% |
| Copper | 0.162 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 8% |
| Arsenic | 0.00065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00121 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 6% |
| Antimony | 0.000049 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
295mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the RG area. RG25 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 RG25
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Your river is the Test (Upper), rated good
The Environment Agency rated the Test (Upper) as good for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is only slightly changed from its natural state. 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
RG25 in short
Tap water in RG25 (Basingstoke and Deane) is supplied by Southern Water in the Basingstoke and Deane Central zone and scores 9.4 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 22 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 29 April 2026.
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 51% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- Very hard water at 295 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles across the RG postcode area. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 7 areas tested in Basingstoke and DeaneOnly 1 area in Basingstoke and Deane scored higher. The best is RG23 on 9.4.
Questions about RG25 water
Is RG25 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, RG25 (Basingstoke and Deane) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 22 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Southern Water.
What contaminants are in RG25 water?
We tested 22 contaminants in RG25 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in RG25?
RG25 (Basingstoke and Deane) is supplied by Southern Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is RG25 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for RG25 itself. Across the RG postcode area the typical value is 295 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 RG25?
RG25 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 RG25 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for RG25, 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 RG25?
The Environment Agency rated the Test (Upper) as good for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is only slightly changed from its natural state. 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 RG25, 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?
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- 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
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near RG25
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 | 7.17 pH | None |
| Temperature | 11.8 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 623 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.0071 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0038 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.03 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 9.04 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.0021 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 267 mg/L | None |
| Copper | 0.0025 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.344 mg/L | None |
Get alerts for your area
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