Tap water in SR8, County DurhamSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 4,143 samples, 20 substances, latest on 17 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.3 / 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 SR8 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.
Iron came closest to a limit, at 65% of it. 17 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Iron65%
- Turbidity17%
- Nitrate16%
- Aluminium16%
- Fluoride14%
- Manganese9%
- Colour7%
- Bromate5%
- Nickel4%
- Boron3%
- Antimony3%
- Selenium2%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite1%
- Arsenic1%
- Copper<1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Conductivity 370 µS/cm
- pH 7.6 pH
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.13 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 65% |
| Turbidity | 0.67 NTU | 4 NTU | 17% |
| Conductivity | 370 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Colour | 1.3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 7% |
| Aluminium | 0.032 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 16% |
| pH | 7.6 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Manganese | 0.0045 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 9% |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Boron | 0.033 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 3% |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Nitrate | 8.2 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 16% |
| Copper | 0.015 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Arsenic | 0.00012 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Nickel | 0.00079 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Lead | 0.000065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Fluoride | 0.21 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 14% |
| Chromium | 0.00071 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
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 SR8
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Your river is the Castle Eden Burn from Source to North Sea, rated bad
The Environment Agency rated the Castle Eden Burn from Source to North Sea as bad for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is severely damaged, with most of the expected wildlife missing. 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
1
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 1 site. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.001 µg/L, at Borehole 25-5-111 Hart Reservoir, 9.1 km away, in November 2023. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Middlesbrough · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
SR8 in short
Tap water in SR8 (County Durham) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the County Durham Central zone and scores 9.3 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 17 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 SR8. How hardness is measured
- 20th cleanest of 22 areas tested in County Durham2 areas in County Durham scored lower. The best is DH1 on 9.7.
- Every one of the 10 neighbouring districts scores higherDH1 next door scores 9.7, against 9.3 here. Supply zones, not distance, explain the gap. See DH1
Questions about SR8 water
Is SR8 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, SR8 (County Durham) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Northumbrian Water.
What contaminants are in SR8 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in SR8 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 SR8?
SR8 (County Durham) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is SR8 water hard or soft?
Water in SR8 (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 SR8?
SR8 water scored 9.3/10 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 SR8 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for SR8 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 1 river and groundwater samples from 1 sites within 10 km of SR8, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.001 µg/L about 9.1 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 SR8?
The Environment Agency rated the Castle Eden Burn from Source to North Sea as bad for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is severely damaged, with most of the expected wildlife missing. 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 SR8, 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 SR8
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 SR8.