Tap water in S72, BarnsleySafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 820 samples, 22 substances, latest on 17 September 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.1 / 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 291 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 S72 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 39% of it. 15 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate39%
- Trihalomethanes27%
- Bromate20%
- Colour15%
- Turbidity8%
- Aluminium6%
- Nickel6%
- Iron3%
- Arsenic3%
- Manganese2%
- Antimony2%
- Nitrite2%
- Selenium1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- E. coli none found
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- Conductivity 609 µS/cm
- Phosphate 1.11 mg/L
All 22 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Iron | 0.00629 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Turbidity | 0.3 NTU | 4 NTU | 8% |
| Aluminium | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.00101 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Conductivity | 609 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Phosphate | 1.11 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Antimony | 0.000094 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Arsenic | 0.00026 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Bromate | 0.002 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 20% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00111 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 6% |
| Copper | 0.00421 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0274 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 27% |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrite | 0.008 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 19.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 39% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 312 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
291mg 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 S72
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Your river is the Grimethorpe Dike from Source to River Dearne, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Grimethorpe Dike from Source 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 phosphate, insects and other small river life and water plants and algae. 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
S72 in short
Tap water in S72 (Barnsley) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the Barnsley Central zone and scores 9.1 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 22 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 17 September 2026.
- 7th cleanest of 8 areas tested in Barnsley1 area in Barnsley scored lower. The best is S36 on 9.7.
- Very hard water at 291 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in S72. How hardness is measured
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Nitrate at 39% of the 50 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about S72 water
Is S72 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, S72 (Barnsley) water scores 9.1/10, which is safe. 0 of 22 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in S72 water?
We tested 22 contaminants in S72 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in S72?
S72 (Barnsley) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is S72 water hard or soft?
Water in S72 (Barnsley) has a hardness of 291 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 S72?
S72 water scored 9.1/10 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 S72 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for S72, 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 S72?
The Environment Agency rated the Grimethorpe Dike from Source 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 phosphate, insects and other small river life and water plants and algae. 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 S72, 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 S72
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 | 7.79 pH | None |
| Temperature | 8.4 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 1151 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.22 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 6.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.014 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 12 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 |
Get alerts for your area
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