Tap water in YO17, North YorkshireSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 1,158 samples, 25 substances, latest on 14 September 2026. 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 295 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 YO17 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 60% of it. 19 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate60%
- Colour15%
- Trihalomethanes7%
- Aluminium6%
- Copper5%
- Nickel4%
- Mercury4%
- Fluoride3%
- Iron3%
- Turbidity3%
- Manganese2%
- Bromate2%
- Nitrite2%
- Boron1%
- Selenium1%
- Lead<1%
- Arsenic<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Antimony<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 428 µS/cm
- Phosphate 1.02 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 |
| Turbidity | 0.11 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Conductivity | 428 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Iron | 0.00629 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Aluminium | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.00101 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Phosphate | 1.02 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Copper | 0.0958 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 5% |
| Nitrite | 0.008 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 30.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 60% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.00684 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 7% |
| Fluoride | 0.05 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 3% |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.0122 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 1% |
| Nickel | 0.00087 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.0002 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.000029 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 300 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
295mg 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 YO17
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Your river is the Derwent from River Rye to Kirkham, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Derwent from River Rye to Kirkham as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. 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
YO17 in short
Tap water in YO17 (North Yorkshire) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the North Yorkshire Central zone and scores 9.3 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 14 September 2026.
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 60% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- Very hard water at 295 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in YO17. How hardness is measured
- 18th cleanest of 28 areas tested in North YorkshireSquarely mid-table for North Yorkshire, between BD24 on 9.7 and YO62 on 8.6.
Questions about YO17 water
Is YO17 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, YO17 (North Yorkshire) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 25 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in YO17 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in YO17 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in YO17?
YO17 (North Yorkshire) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is YO17 water hard or soft?
Water in YO17 (North Yorkshire) has a hardness of 295 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 YO17?
YO17 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 YO17 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for YO17, 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 YO17?
The Environment Agency rated the Derwent from River Rye to Kirkham as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. 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 YO17, 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
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- 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 YO17
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 YO17.