Tap water in RG26, Basingstoke and DeaneSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Southern Water. 4,755 samples, 22 substances, latest on 20 April 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, copper, sits close to the line.
8.6 / 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 330 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 copper, the result that stood out in RG26.
Doulton HIP Ultracarb
£120typical price
Removes copper, the result that stood out in RG26.
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What's in a glass of RG26 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.
Copper came closest to a limit, at 80% of it. 15 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Copper80%
- Nickel70%
- Nitrate53%
- Colour15%
- Arsenic10%
- Bromate10%
- Trihalomethanes8%
- Aluminium6%
- Iron5%
- Ammonia4%
- Antimony4%
- Manganese4%
- Turbidity3%
- Lead3%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 543 µS/cm
- pH 7.2 pH
All 22 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 1.59 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 80% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Conductivity | 543 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Bromate | 0.00096 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 10% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Turbidity | 0.13 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| pH | 7.2 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrate | 26.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 53% |
| 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 | 0.00025 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrite | 0.004 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Ammonia | 0.02 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 4% |
| Arsenic | 0.001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 10% |
| Cadmium | 0.00012 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.001 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.0139 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 70% |
| Antimony | 0.0002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 4% |
| Selenium | 0.0008 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.00774 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 8% |
330mg 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 RG26
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Your river is the Silchester Brook, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Silchester Brook 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 and water plants and algae. 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
109
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 5 sites. The highest was PFBA at 0.035 µg/L, at Clay Hill Brook Above Burghfield STW, 9.3 km away, in June 2023. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Reading · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
RG26 in short
Tap water in RG26 (Basingstoke and Deane) is supplied by Southern Water in the Basingstoke and Deane Central zone and scores 8.6 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. 1 of 22 tested substances was close to or over a limit. The latest sample is from 20 April 2026.
- Copper is within its legal limit but flagged, at 80% of the 2 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 330 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in RG26. How hardness is measured
- 5th cleanest of 7 areas tested in Basingstoke and Deane2 areas in Basingstoke and Deane scored lower. The best is RG23 on 9.4.
Questions about RG26 water
Is RG26 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, RG26 (Basingstoke and Deane) water scores 8.6/10, which is safe. 1 of 22 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Southern Water.
What contaminants are in RG26 water?
We tested 22 contaminants in RG26 water. 1 were flagged, including Copper. 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 RG26?
RG26 (Basingstoke and Deane) is supplied by Southern Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is RG26 water hard or soft?
Water in RG26 (Basingstoke and Deane) has a hardness of 330 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 RG26?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in RG26, 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 RG26 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for RG26 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 109 river and groundwater samples from 5 sites within 10 km of RG26, the highest being PFBA at 0.035 µg/L about 9.3 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 RG26?
The Environment Agency rated the Silchester Brook 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 and water plants and algae. 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 RG26, 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 explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near RG26
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 RG26.