PUBLISHED WATER REPORTS, EXPLAINED
Check your water by postcode
Understand the water in your home. Check published hardness and quality reports, find the units your appliances need, and see the source behind each result.
Supplier-verified postcode matching currently covers Thames Water, Affinity Water, Yorkshire Water, Severn Trent Water and United Utilities, plus Northern Ireland Water’s published annual postcode mapping. Try SW1A 1AA. For other areas, use our supplier directory. In Scotland? Find your official zone and hardness history.
What would you like to understand?
Do water filters remove limescale? Check what the filter does
Some filters reduce hardness; others mainly change taste or catch particles. Check the exact cartridge and its specification before expecting less scale.
Dishwasher water hardness: find the right units and setting
Start with a total-hardness result and the manual for your exact dishwasher. The same number means different things in different units.
How to read a UK tap-water quality report
Read the location, reporting period and sampling details before interpreting a number. A supply-area report is useful evidence, but cannot certify the water at every tap today.
Is there fluoride in UK tap water? Understanding your local result
DWI says fluoride is naturally present at low levels in most drinking water in England and Wales. The government’s 2026 monitoring report says about one in 10 people in England live in areas where fluoride has been added to public supplies. A fluoride reading tells you the concentration reported for a place and period. It does not, by itself, tell you whether fluoride was added.
What does the pH of tap water mean?
pH describes acidity or alkalinity. It is a different measurement from water hardness, which describes calcium and magnesium.
Water softener cost: compare purchase, installation and running costs
Compare a complete installed quote and the ongoing costs. A headline equipment price or monthly payment is not the total cost of ownership.
How to descale a kettle: citric acid, vinegar and how often
Scale in a kettle is mostly calcium carbonate left behind when hard water is heated. A mild acid dissolves it. Follow your kettle’s manual first; the methods below are the common alternatives that consumer and manufacturer guides describe.
How to remove limescale from taps, shower heads, toilets and glass
Limescale is the chalky deposit hard water leaves when it evaporates or is heated. Mild acids such as citric acid and vinegar dissolve it. The right method depends on the surface, so check the manufacturer’s care instructions for taps, shower fittings and appliances before you start.
Shower filters for hard water: what they can and can’t do
Most shower filters are designed to reduce chlorine, not hardness. Removing calcium and magnesium needs a water softener or reverse osmosis. If your area has soft water, a hardness product will not help, so check your published hardness first. WaterGrade does not recommend or sell products; this guide explains how to judge a claim.
Hard water, hair, skin and eczema: what the evidence says
Hard water is often blamed for dry skin, dull hair and eczema. Studies show an association between hard water and eczema in children, but a randomised trial found water softeners did not improve eczema severity. This page summarises the evidence; it is not medical advice.
How to test water hardness at home
Start with the task you want to complete: setting an appliance, checking a softener, or understanding a water-quality concern.
How to test water quality at home: kits, labs and private supplies
Start with the question you want answered. A water test kit can help with some questions but not others. For mains water, your supplier tests routinely and can share results free of charge. Home test kits can screen a few parameters; an accredited laboratory is needed for a reliable result. Private wells, boreholes and springs follow different rules.
Hard water vs soft water: what the difference means
Hardness describes dissolved calcium and magnesium. It is useful for understanding limescale and appliance settings, but is not an overall water-quality score.
Cloudy tap water: what to check
White or cloudy water is often caused by tiny air bubbles. A visual check can help describe the problem, but it is not a laboratory test.
Brown, orange or black tap water: what to do
If your water suddenly changes colour, contact your water supplier for advice before assuming it is safe to drink.
Why does tap water taste metallic?
A metallic taste can be associated with plumbing, but taste alone cannot identify or measure a metal in drinking water.
How to soften hard water: options and practical checks
Start with the problem you want to solve, such as limescale or appliance settings. A hardness label is not a reason to buy treatment for health protection.
A result is more useful with its source
We show the reporting period, available sample information and original supplier link. Where we have comparable annual reports, you can see how the reported hardness changed.
Know what the data can tell you
Supply-area results are not individual tap tests. Missing values stay unavailable, and hardness is not a health score. Coverage and freshness vary by supplier.
Read our methodology