Tap water in YO31, YorkSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 1,211 samples, 25 substances, latest on 24 September 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, nitrite, sits close to the line.
8.8 / 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 238 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 YO31 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.
Nitrite came closest to a limit, at 82% of it. 18 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrite82%
- Nitrate41%
- Trihalomethanes24%
- Bromate20%
- Colour15%
- Aluminium6%
- Nickel5%
- Mercury4%
- Fluoride4%
- Iron3%
- Turbidity3%
- Boron3%
- Arsenic3%
- Manganese2%
- Antimony2%
- Selenium1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Chromium<1%
- E. coli none found
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- Conductivity 615 µS/cm
- Phosphate 1.07 mg/L
All 25 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrite | 0.41 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 82% |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Nitrate | 20.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 41% |
| Conductivity | 615 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.11 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Aluminium | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.00676 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00101 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Phosphate | 1.07 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.024 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 24% |
| Lead | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00025 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Antimony | 0.000082 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Fluoride | 0.06 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 4% |
| Bromate | 0.002 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 20% |
| Nickel | 0.00104 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 5% |
| Copper | 0.0116 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.0271 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 3% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 300 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
238mg 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 YO31
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Your river is the Foss from the Syke to the River Ouse, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Foss from the Syke to the 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 insects and other small river life 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
134
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 10 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.055 µg/L, at The Sike at Woodlands Farm Cattle Grid, 9.6 km away, in December 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around York · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
YO31 in short
Tap water in YO31 (York) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the York Central zone and scores 8.8 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 24 September 2026.
- Nitrite is within its legal limit but flagged, at 82% of the 0.5 mg/L maximumAnything over three quarters of a limit is flagged here as worth watching. It has not gone over. See every reading
- 8th cleanest of 9 areas tested in York1 area in York scored lower. The best is YO23 on 9.3. Every area in York
- Hard water at 238 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in YO31. How hardness is measured
Questions about YO31 water
Is YO31 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, YO31 (York) water scores 8.8/10, which is safe. 1 of 25 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in YO31 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in YO31 water. 1 were flagged, including Nitrite. 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 YO31?
YO31 (York) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is YO31 water hard or soft?
Water in YO31 (York) has a hardness of 238 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 YO31?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in YO31, a water filter could help. A reverse osmosis or activated carbon filter is recommended for PFAS removal. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in YO31 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for YO31 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 134 river and groundwater samples from 10 sites within 10 km of YO31, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.055 µg/L about 9.6 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 YO31?
The Environment Agency rated the Foss from the Syke to the 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 insects and other small river life 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 YO31, 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?
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
- 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 explainedNitrate levelsHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of YorkUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near YO31
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 YO31.