Tap water in YO51, North YorkshireSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 393 samples, 25 substances, latest on 17 September 2026. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.0 / 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 212 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 YO51 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 56% of it. 18 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrite56%
- Nitrate28%
- Colour15%
- Bromate14%
- Nickel12%
- Fluoride9%
- Turbidity9%
- Trihalomethanes9%
- Aluminium6%
- Iron5%
- Mercury4%
- Manganese4%
- Antimony3%
- Boron3%
- Copper2%
- Arsenic2%
- Lead1%
- Cadmium1%
- Selenium1%
- Chromium<1%
- Conductivity 636 µS/cm
- E. coli none found
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- Phosphate 1.23 mg/L
All 25 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 0.35 NTU | 4 NTU | 9% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Conductivity | 636 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrite | 0.28 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 56% |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Nitrate | 13.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 28% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Iron | 0.00928 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Manganese | 0.00178 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 4% |
| Aluminium | 0.0113 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Phosphate | 1.23 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Copper | 0.0416 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.00852 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 9% |
| Bromate | 0.0014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 14% |
| Fluoride | 0.14 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 9% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Antimony | 0.000164 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Arsenic | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Lead | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000055 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Nickel | 0.0023 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 12% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.0271 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 3% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 302 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
212mg 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 YO51
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Your river is the Ure from River Tutt to River Swale, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Ure from River Tutt to River Swale 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
YO51 in short
Tap water in YO51 (North Yorkshire) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the North Yorkshire Central zone and scores 9.0 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 17 September 2026.
- Nitrite is the reading closest to its limit, at 56% of the 0.5 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 22nd cleanest of 28 areas tested in North Yorkshire6 areas in North Yorkshire scored lower. The best is BD24 on 9.7.
- Hard water at 212 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in YO51. How hardness is measured
Questions about YO51 water
Is YO51 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, YO51 (North Yorkshire) water scores 9/10, which is safe. 0 of 25 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in YO51 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in YO51 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in YO51?
YO51 (North Yorkshire) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is YO51 water hard or soft?
Water in YO51 (North Yorkshire) has a hardness of 212 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 YO51?
YO51 water scored 9/10 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 YO51 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for YO51, 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 YO51?
The Environment Agency rated the Ure from River Tutt to River Swale 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 YO51, 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
- 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
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near YO51
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 YO51.