Tap water in SO43, New ForestSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Southern Water. 4,673 samples, 22 substances, latest on 30 March 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, nitrate, sits close to the line.
9.0 / 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 276 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.
Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis
£550typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in SO43.
Osmio PRO-III Ultimate Whole House
£499typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in SO43.
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What's in a glass of SO43 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 76% of it. 16 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate76%
- Trihalomethanes46%
- Colour15%
- Iron14%
- Nickel11%
- Arsenic10%
- Bromate6%
- Aluminium6%
- Ammonia5%
- Antimony4%
- Manganese4%
- Turbidity3%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Selenium2%
- Lead<1%
- Nitrite<1%
- Copper<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- pH 7.9 pH
- Conductivity 548 µS/cm
All 22 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 37.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 76% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Turbidity | 0.13 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Iron | 0.0282 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 14% |
| Manganese | 0.00178 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 4% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0459 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 46% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| pH | 7.9 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Ammonia | 0.025 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 5% |
| Aluminium | 0.0113 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Copper | 0.0113 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Conductivity | 548 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrite | 0.004 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Arsenic | 0.001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 10% |
| Cadmium | 0.00012 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.001 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.0022 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 11% |
| Antimony | 0.0002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 4% |
| Selenium | 0.0008 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Bromate | 0.00057 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
276mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the SO area. SO43 has no reading of its own.
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 SO43
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Your river is the Bartley Water, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Bartley Water 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. 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
89
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 3 sites. The highest was PFBS at 0.0036 µg/L, at River Test at Testwood, 8.4 km away, in July 2023. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Southampton · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
SO43 in short
Tap water in SO43 (New Forest) is supplied by Southern Water in the New Forest Central zone and scores 9.0 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. 1 of 22 tested substances was close to or over a limit. The latest sample is from 30 March 2026.
- Nitrate is within its legal limit but flagged, at 76% of the 50 mg/L maximumAnything over three quarters of a limit is flagged here as worth watching. It has not gone over. See every reading
- 7th cleanest of 8 areas tested in New Forest1 area in New Forest scored lower. The best is SP6 on 9.8.
- Very hard water at 276 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles across the SO postcode area. How hardness is measured
Questions about SO43 water
Is SO43 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, SO43 (New Forest) water scores 9/10, which is safe. 1 of 22 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Southern Water.
What contaminants are in SO43 water?
We tested 22 contaminants in SO43 water. 1 were flagged, including Nitrate. 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 SO43?
SO43 (New Forest) is supplied by Southern Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is SO43 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for SO43 itself. Across the SO postcode area the typical value is 276 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 SO43?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in SO43, a water filter could help. A reverse osmosis or activated carbon filter is recommended for PFAS removal. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in SO43 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for SO43 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 89 river and groundwater samples from 3 sites within 10 km of SO43, the highest being PFBS at 0.0036 µg/L about 8.4 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 SO43?
The Environment Agency rated the Bartley Water 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. 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 SO43, 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?
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
- 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 explainedNitrate levelsHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near SO43
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.
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for SO43.