Tap water in S11, SheffieldSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 1,421 samples, 25 substances, latest on 16 September 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.6 / 10
The tank is as full as the score. The specks are the minerals that make water hard.
What to do about it

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

BRITA Marella XL + MAXTRA PRO
£25typical price
Basic chlorine and taste improvement on a budget
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What's in a glass of S11 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.
Trihalomethanes came closest to a limit, at 30% of it. 19 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes30%
- Colour15%
- Nitrate7%
- Lead7%
- Nickel6%
- Aluminium6%
- Mercury4%
- Fluoride3%
- Iron3%
- Turbidity3%
- Manganese2%
- Bromate2%
- Arsenic1%
- Selenium1%
- Boron<1%
- Antimony<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Nitrite0%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 152 µS/cm
- Phosphate 1.23 mg/L
All 25 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Iron | 0.00629 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Aluminium | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.00101 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Conductivity | 152 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.11 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Phosphate | 1.23 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Lead | 0.00071 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0304 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 30% |
| Nickel | 0.00118 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 6% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.0096 mg/L | 1 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrite | 0 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 3.73 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 7% |
| Bromate | 0.0002 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Fluoride | 0.05 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 3% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00013 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Antimony | 0.000045 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.00324 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 50.7 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
35mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Soft water. Kind to kettles, boilers and skin
You will not need a softener here, and you will use less soap and detergent than most of England.
Your river is the Porter from Source to River Sheaf, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Porter from Source to River Sheaf 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. 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
108
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 5 sites. The highest was PFOS (total) at 0.38 µg/L, at Hillsborough Golf Club, 6.4 km away, in March 2026. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Sheffield · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
S11 in short
Tap water in S11 (Sheffield) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the Sheffield Central zone and scores 9.6 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 25 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 16 September 2026.
- 4th cleanest of 17 areas tested in SheffieldOnly 3 areas in Sheffield scored higher. The best is S20 on 10. Every area in Sheffield
- Soft water at 35 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in S11, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- 0.6 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
Questions about S11 water
Is S11 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, S11 (Sheffield) water scores 9.6/10, which is safe. 0 of 25 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in S11 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in S11 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels. 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 S11?
S11 (Sheffield) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is S11 water hard or soft?
Water in S11 (Sheffield) has a hardness of 35 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in S11?
S11 water scored 9.6/10 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 S11 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for S11 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 108 river and groundwater samples from 5 sites within 10 km of S11, the highest being PFOS (total) at 0.38 µg/L about 6.4 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 S11?
The Environment Agency rated the Porter from Source to River Sheaf 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. 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 S11, 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
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of SheffieldUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near S11
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 S11.