Tap water in RG28, Basingstoke and DeaneSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Southern Water. 13,055 samples, 23 substances, latest on 30 April 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, nitrate, sits close to the line.
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 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.
Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis
£550typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in RG28.
Osmio PRO-III Ultimate Whole House
£499typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in RG28.
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What's in a glass of RG28 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 79% of it. 18 of 19 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate79%
- Colour15%
- Copper8%
- Trihalomethanes8%
- Arsenic7%
- Nickel6%
- Aluminium6%
- Ammonia5%
- Iron5%
- Mercury4%
- Manganese4%
- Turbidity3%
- Nitrite2%
- Lead1%
- Bromate1%
- Selenium1%
- Antimony<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- pH 7.3 pH
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 549 µS/cm
All 23 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 39.6 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 79% |
| pH | 7.3 pH | No legal limit | – |
| 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 | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Conductivity | 549 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0081 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 8% |
| Bromate | 0.00014 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% |
| Ammonia | 0.025 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 5% |
| Copper | 0.162 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 8% |
| Nitrite | 0.009 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| 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% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
295mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the RG area. RG28 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 RG28
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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
RG28 in short
Tap water in RG28 (Basingstoke and Deane) is supplied by Southern Water in the Basingstoke and Deane Central zone and scores 9.3 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. 1 of 23 tested substances was close to or over a limit. The latest sample is from 30 April 2026.
- Nitrate is within its legal limit but flagged, at 79% 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
- 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
- 3rd cleanest of 7 areas tested in Basingstoke and DeaneOnly 2 areas in Basingstoke and Deane scored higher. The best is RG23 on 9.4.
Questions about RG28 water
Is RG28 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, RG28 (Basingstoke and Deane) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 1 of 23 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Southern Water.
What contaminants are in RG28 water?
We tested 23 contaminants in RG28 water. 1 were flagged, including Nitrate.
Who supplies water in RG28?
RG28 (Basingstoke and Deane) is supplied by Southern Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is RG28 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for RG28 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 RG28?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in RG28, 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 RG28 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for RG28, 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 RG28?
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 RG28, 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 RG28
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 RG28.