Tap water in S4, SheffieldSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 1,108 samples, 25 substances, latest on 21 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 S4 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 35% of it. 19 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes35%
- Colour15%
- Bromate14%
- Nitrate7%
- Aluminium6%
- Nickel4%
- Mercury4%
- Lead3%
- Fluoride3%
- Iron3%
- Turbidity3%
- Manganese2%
- Nitrite2%
- Arsenic1%
- Antimony1%
- Selenium1%
- Boron1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Conductivity 160 µS/cm
- E. coli none found
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- Phosphate 1.22 mg/L
All 25 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Iron | 0.00629 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00101 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Conductivity | 160 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.11 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Phosphate | 1.22 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 37.2 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Nickel | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Boron | 0.0107 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 1% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.0014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 14% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Arsenic | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Antimony | 0.000063 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Nitrite | 0.008 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 3.73 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 7% |
| Copper | 0.00099 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.035 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 35% |
| Fluoride | 0.05 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 3% |
| Lead | 0.00035 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
31mg 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 Don from River Loxley confl to River Don Works, rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Don from River Loxley confl to River Don Works as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by water plants and algae and phosphate. 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
117
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 6 sites. The highest was PFOS (total) at 0.38 µg/L, at Hillsborough Golf Club, 5.5 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
S4 in short
Tap water in S4 (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 21 September 2026.
- Soft water at 31 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in S4, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- 8th cleanest of 17 areas tested in SheffieldSquarely mid-table for Sheffield, between S20 on 10 and S9 on 9.3. Every area in Sheffield
- 0.6 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
Questions about S4 water
Is S4 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, S4 (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 S4 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in S4 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 S4?
S4 (Sheffield) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is S4 water hard or soft?
Water in S4 (Sheffield) has a hardness of 31 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in S4?
S4 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 S4 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for S4 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 117 river and groundwater samples from 6 sites within 10 km of S4, the highest being PFOS (total) at 0.38 µg/L about 5.5 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 S4?
The Environment Agency rated the Don from River Loxley confl to River Don Works as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by water plants and algae and phosphate. 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 S4, 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 S4
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonia | 0.38 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Iron | 3.53 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Manganese | 0.994 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| pH | 7.78 pH | None |
| Temperature | 6.8 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 764 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 3.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.032 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.036 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 12.1 mg/L | None |
| Copper | 0.0028 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0209 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.000485 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Chromium | 0.000559 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Aluminium | 0.14 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Nickel | 0.0112 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
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