Tap water in YO13, North YorkshireSafe to drink.Hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 448 samples, 25 substances, latest on 21 August 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, iron, sits close to the line.
9.2 / 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 196 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
Maximum contaminant removal including PFAS and fluoride
Waterdrop 10UA Under Sink
£70typical price
High-volume under-sink filtration without RO complexity
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What's in a glass of YO13 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 97% of it. 18 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Iron97%
- Nitrite46%
- Trihalomethanes19%
- Colour15%
- Nickel11%
- Manganese10%
- Turbidity9%
- Nitrate7%
- Aluminium6%
- Fluoride5%
- Bromate4%
- Mercury4%
- Arsenic2%
- Boron1%
- Antimony1%
- Selenium1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 488 µS/cm
- Phosphate 0.93 mg/L
All 25 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.194 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 97% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Turbidity | 0.34 NTU | 4 NTU | 9% |
| Conductivity | 488 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Aluminium | 0.0113 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.00499 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 10% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00222 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 11% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.0149 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0186 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 19% |
| Bromate | 0.0004 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 4% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00022 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.000064 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Nitrite | 0.23 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 46% |
| Nitrate | 3.73 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 7% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Copper | 0.0121 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Fluoride | 0.07 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 5% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 196 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Phosphate | 0.93 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
196mg of limescale minerals in every litre
This is the water that furs up kettles
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 YO13
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Your river is the Derwent from Black Beck to River Rye, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Derwent from Black Beck to River Rye as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish and dissolved oxygen. 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
YO13 in short
Tap water in YO13 (North Yorkshire) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the North Yorkshire Central zone and scores 9.2 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. 1 of 25 tested substances was close to or over a limit. The latest sample is from 21 August 2026.
- Iron is within its legal limit but flagged, at 97% of the 0.2 mg/L maximumAnything over three quarters of a limit is flagged here as worth watching. It has not gone over. See every reading
- Hard water at 196 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in YO13. How hardness is measured
- 19th cleanest of 28 areas tested in North Yorkshire9 areas in North Yorkshire scored lower. The best is BD24 on 9.7.
Questions about YO13 water
Is YO13 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, YO13 (North Yorkshire) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 1 of 25 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in YO13 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in YO13 water. 1 were flagged, including Iron.
Who supplies water in YO13?
YO13 (North Yorkshire) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is YO13 water hard or soft?
Water in YO13 (North Yorkshire) has a hardness of 196 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in YO13?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in YO13, a water filter could help. A filter jug or under-sink filter can reduce most common contaminants. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in YO13 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for YO13, 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 YO13?
The Environment Agency rated the Derwent from Black Beck to River Rye as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish and dissolved oxygen. 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 YO13, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
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- Salt-free softenersConditioners and electronic descalers, honestly assessed
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River and groundwater readings near YO13
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 YO13.