Tap water in S64, RotherhamSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 1,050 samples, 25 substances, latest on 16 September 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.2 / 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 277 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 S64 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 37% of it. 18 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate37%
- Trihalomethanes36%
- Bromate19%
- Colour15%
- Aluminium6%
- Fluoride5%
- Nickel4%
- Mercury4%
- Iron3%
- Arsenic3%
- Boron3%
- Turbidity3%
- Manganese2%
- Antimony2%
- Nitrite2%
- Selenium1%
- Copper1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 617 µS/cm
- Phosphate 1.07 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 |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Manganese | 0.00124 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Iron | 0.00629 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Aluminium | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Conductivity | 617 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 | 1.07 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Antimony | 0.000085 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Arsenic | 0.0003 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.0019 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 19% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.036 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 36% |
| Copper | 0.021 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 1% |
| Nitrite | 0.008 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 18.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 37% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00082 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 297 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Fluoride | 0.07 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 5% |
| Boron | 0.0277 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 3% |
277mg 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 S64
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Your river is the Don from River Rother to River Dearne, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Don from River Rother to River Dearne 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. 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
12
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 1 site. The highest was PFBS at 0.0093 µg/L, at RSN1844 River Don at Eastwood Lock, 5.8 km away, in June 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Sheffield · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
S64 in short
Tap water in S64 (Rotherham) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the Rotherham Central zone and scores 9.2 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.
- Very hard water at 277 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in S64. How hardness is measured
- 3rd cleanest of 8 areas tested in RotherhamOnly 2 areas in Rotherham scored higher. The best is S61 on 9.4.
- PFAS found at 1 monitoring site within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFBS about 5.8 km away. What was measured
Questions about S64 water
Is S64 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, S64 (Rotherham) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 0 of 25 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in S64 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in S64 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 S64?
S64 (Rotherham) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is S64 water hard or soft?
Water in S64 (Rotherham) has a hardness of 277 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 S64?
S64 water scored 9.2/10 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 S64 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for S64 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 12 river and groundwater samples from 1 sites within 10 km of S64, the highest being PFBS at 0.0093 µg/L about 5.8 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 S64?
The Environment Agency rated the Don from River Rother to River Dearne 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. 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 S64, 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 S64
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 0.0452 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| pH | 7.54 pH | None |
| Nickel | 0.003 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Temperature | 7.8 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 952 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.31 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 7.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.085 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.52 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 10.9 mg/L | None |
| Zinc | 0.0011 mg/L | None |
| Copper | 0.00108 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Iron | 0.0669 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 346 mg/L | None |
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