Tap water in SR7, County DurhamSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 4,105 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.6 / 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 470 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 SR7 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 14% of it. 18 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate14%
- Fluoride11%
- Aluminium6%
- Turbidity5%
- Bromate5%
- Nickel5%
- Colour4%
- Antimony4%
- Iron3%
- Boron2%
- Selenium2%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite1%
- Arsenic1%
- Lead<1%
- Manganese<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Conductivity 690 µS/cm
- pH 7.6 pH
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 0.00028 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Conductivity | 690 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Iron | 0.0052 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Colour | 0.81 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 4% |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| pH | 7.6 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Fluoride | 0.17 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 11% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.006 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Antimony | 0.0002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 4% |
| Nickel | 0.00098 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 5% |
| Lead | 0.000065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Nitrate | 7.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 14% |
| Arsenic | 0.00012 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Boron | 0.021 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 2% |
470mg 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 SR7
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Your river is the Dalton Beck to North Sea, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Dalton Beck to North Sea as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by water plants and algae, acidity (ph) and 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
SR7 in short
Tap water in SR7 (County Durham) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the County Durham Central zone and scores 9.6 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 20 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 19 December 2025.
- Among the hardest water in the country at 470 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in SR7. How hardness is measured
- 11th cleanest of 22 areas tested in County DurhamSquarely mid-table for County Durham, between DH1 on 9.7 and TS28 on 9.
- 0.6 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
Questions about SR7 water
Is SR7 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, SR7 (County Durham) water scores 9.6/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Northumbrian Water.
What contaminants are in SR7 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in SR7 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in SR7?
SR7 (County Durham) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is SR7 water hard or soft?
Water in SR7 (County Durham) has a hardness of 470 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 SR7?
SR7 water scored 9.6/10 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 SR7 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for SR7, 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 SR7?
The Environment Agency rated the Dalton Beck to North Sea as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by water plants and algae, acidity (ph) and 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 SR7, 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 SR7
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 SR7.