Tap water in S61, RotherhamSafe to drink.Hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 1,544 samples, 25 substances, latest on 16 September 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 185 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 S61 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%
- Nitrate7%
- Aluminium7%
- Nickel6%
- Fluoride5%
- Mercury4%
- Iron3%
- Bromate3%
- Turbidity3%
- Manganese2%
- Arsenic1%
- Antimony1%
- Selenium1%
- Boron<1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Nitrite0%
- Conductivity 188 µS/cm
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Phosphate 1.07 mg/L
All 25 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 0.11 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Conductivity | 188 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Aluminium | 0.0133 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 7% |
| Iron | 0.00698 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00101 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Phosphate | 1.07 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Antimony | 0.000062 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Copper | 0.00099 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Nickel | 0.00113 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 6% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.0091 mg/L | 1 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.0003 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.035 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 35% |
| Nitrite | 0 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 3.73 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 7% |
| Fluoride | 0.07 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 5% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00013 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 307 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
185mg of limescale minerals in every litre
This is the water that furs up kettles
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 S61
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Your river is the Greasbrough Dike from Source to River Don, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Greasbrough Dike from Source to River Don as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life and ammonia. 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
102
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 4 sites. The highest was PFOS (total) at 0.38 µg/L, at Hillsborough Golf Club, 9.4 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
S61 in short
Tap water in S61 (Rotherham) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the Rotherham Central zone and scores 9.4 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.
- The cleanest tap water of the 8 areas tested in RotherhamS61 scores 9.4 out of 10, ahead of S60 in second place on 9.3.
- Scores higher than all 8 neighbouring districtsThe nearest rival is S60 on 9.3, against 9.4 here. Compare with S60
- Hard water at 185 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in S61. How hardness is measured
Questions about S61 water
Is S61 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, S61 (Rotherham) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 25 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in S61 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in S61 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 S61?
S61 (Rotherham) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is S61 water hard or soft?
Water in S61 (Rotherham) has a hardness of 185 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in S61?
S61 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 S61 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for S61 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 102 river and groundwater samples from 4 sites within 10 km of S61, the highest being PFOS (total) at 0.38 µg/L about 9.4 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 S61?
The Environment Agency rated the Greasbrough Dike from Source to River Don as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life and ammonia. 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 S61, 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?
- 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 S61
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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