Tap water in S71, BarnsleySafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 1,376 samples, 25 substances, latest on 25 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 217 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 S71 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 29% of it. 19 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes29%
- Colour15%
- Nitrate7%
- Aluminium6%
- Fluoride5%
- Nickel4%
- Bromate4%
- Mercury4%
- Turbidity4%
- Iron3%
- Manganese2%
- Arsenic1%
- Antimony1%
- Selenium1%
- Boron1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Nitrite0%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 438 µS/cm
- Phosphate 1.12 mg/L
All 25 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.00552 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.0004 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 4% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Antimony | 0.000062 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0293 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 29% |
| Arsenic | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Nitrite | 0 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 3.73 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 7% |
| Nickel | 0.00082 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Manganese | 0.00101 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 | 438 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.15 NTU | 4 NTU | 4% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Phosphate | 1.12 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Boron | 0.01 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 1% |
| Fluoride | 0.07 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 5% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 302 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
217mg 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 S71
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Your river is the Cudworth Dyke from Source to River Dearne, rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Cudworth Dyke from Source to River Dearne 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 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
S71 in short
Tap water in S71 (Barnsley) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the Barnsley 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 25 September 2026.
- Hard water at 217 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in S71. How hardness is measured
- 5th cleanest of 8 areas tested in BarnsleySquarely mid-table for Barnsley, between S36 on 9.7 and S73 on 9.
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Trihalomethanes at 29% of the 0.1 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about S71 water
Is S71 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, S71 (Barnsley) 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 S71 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in S71 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in S71?
S71 (Barnsley) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is S71 water hard or soft?
Water in S71 (Barnsley) has a hardness of 217 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 S71?
S71 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 S71 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for S71, 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 S71?
The Environment Agency rated the Cudworth Dyke from Source to River Dearne 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 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 S71, 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?
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- 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
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near S71
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.863 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 7.21 pH | None |
| Temperature | 8.7 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 589 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.079 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 16.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0674 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.093 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 11.2 mg/L | None |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 214 mg/L | None |
| Copper | 0.00711 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0502 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.00336 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.000107 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Chromium | 0.0026 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Nickel | 0.0116 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
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