Tap water in WF11, WakefieldSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 722 samples, 25 substances, latest on 28 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 286 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 WF11 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 48% of it. 19 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate48%
- Trihalomethanes23%
- Bromate22%
- Colour15%
- Nickel6%
- Aluminium6%
- Mercury4%
- Fluoride4%
- Manganese3%
- Iron3%
- Boron3%
- Turbidity3%
- Arsenic2%
- Antimony2%
- Nitrite2%
- Selenium1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 518 µS/cm
- Phosphate 1.03 mg/L
All 25 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Aluminium | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.00647 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00164 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrite | 0.008 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 24.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 48% |
| Conductivity | 518 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.11 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Phosphate | 1.03 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 307 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Copper | 0.00692 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0233 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 23% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00023 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.06 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 4% |
| Nickel | 0.00113 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 6% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.0287 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 3% |
| Bromate | 0.0022 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 22% |
286mg 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 WF11
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Your river is the Aire from Fryston Beck to River Ouse, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Aire from Fryston Beck to River Ouse 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 temperature. 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
21
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 1 site. The highest was PFOA at 0.0081 µg/L, at Calder at Methley Bridge, 8.4 km away, in July 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Leeds · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
WF11 in short
Tap water in WF11 (Wakefield) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the Wakefield Central zone and scores 9.1 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 28 September 2026.
- Very hard water at 286 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in WF11. How hardness is measured
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 48% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 6th cleanest of 11 areas tested in WakefieldSquarely mid-table for Wakefield, between WF2 on 9.5 and WF7 on 8.3.
Questions about WF11 water
Is WF11 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, WF11 (Wakefield) water scores 9.1/10, which is safe. 0 of 25 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in WF11 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in WF11 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 WF11?
WF11 (Wakefield) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is WF11 water hard or soft?
Water in WF11 (Wakefield) has a hardness of 286 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 WF11?
WF11 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 WF11 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for WF11 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 21 river and groundwater samples from 1 sites within 10 km of WF11, the highest being PFOA at 0.0081 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 WF11?
The Environment Agency rated the Aire from Fryston Beck to River Ouse 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 temperature. 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 WF11, 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 WF11
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 |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.85 pH | None |
| Temperature | 15.2 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 1430 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.262 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 3.85 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.068 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 709 mg/L | None |
| Phosphate | 0.182 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 6.8 mg/L | None |
| Zinc | 0.00887 mg/L | None |
| Iron | 0.0939 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Aluminium | 0.0489 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00243 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
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