Is Birmingham tap water safe to drink?

Who supplies water in Birmingham

Drinking-water test record

How hard is the water in Birmingham?

Storm overflows nearby

Older homes and lead pipes

Fluoride

Hosepipe bans

What you can do

Common water problems

• How much does a water softener cost in the UK?

  Water softener cost UK 2026: price by home size

• Why is my tap water cloudy or white?

  Why is my tap water cloudy or white? (UK)

• Why is my tap water brown?

  Brown tap water: causes and what to do (UK)

• Why does my tap water taste metallic?

  Tap water tastes metallic? Causes and fixes (UK)

Questions about tap water in Birmingham

Is the water in Birmingham hard or soft?

Severn Trent Water: soft, 52 mg/l, 3.6 °Clark, 2.9 °dH, 5.2 °fH (Bordesley (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. South Staffs Water: moderately hard, 189 mg/l, 13.3 °Clark, 10.6 °dH, 18.9 °fH (Sutton Coldfield (supply zone), 2025). Zone average. Severn Trent Water: soft, 52 mg/l, 3.7 °Clark, 2.9 °dH, 5.2 °fH (Small Heath (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 58 mg/l, 4.1 °Clark, 3.2 °dH, 5.8 °fH (Kings Heath (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 58 mg/l, 4.1 °Clark, 3.2 °dH, 5.8 °fH (Northfield South (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 54 mg/l, 3.8 °Clark, 3.0 °dH, 5.4 °fH (Selly Park (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. Severn Trent Water: soft, 85 mg/l, 5.9 °Clark, 4.7 °dH, 8.5 °fH (Hagley South (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 52 mg/l, 3.6 °Clark, 2.9 °dH, 5.2 °fH (Kingstanding (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 56 mg/l, 3.9 °Clark, 3.1 °dH, 5.6 °fH (Harborne (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 56 mg/l, 3.9 °Clark, 3.1 °dH, 5.6 °fH (Quinton (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 52 mg/l, 3.7 °Clark, 2.9 °dH, 5.2 °fH (Acocks Green (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 50 mg/l, 3.5 °Clark, 2.8 °dH, 5.0 °fH (Lozells (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 58 mg/l, 4.1 °Clark, 3.2 °dH, 5.8 °fH (Northfield North (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 85 mg/l, 5.9 °Clark, 4.7 °dH, 8.5 °fH (Hagley North (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 49 mg/l, 3.5 °Clark, 2.8 °dH, 4.9 °fH (Yardley (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 52 mg/l, 3.7 °Clark, 2.9 °dH, 5.2 °fH (Little Bromwich (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 53 mg/l, 3.7 °Clark, 3.0 °dH, 5.3 °fH (Castle Bromwich (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 56 mg/l, 3.9 °Clark, 3.1 °dH, 5.6 °fH (Warley (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 55 mg/l, 3.8 °Clark, 3.1 °dH, 5.5 °fH (Minworth (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 71 mg/l, 5.0 °Clark, 4.0 °dH, 7.1 °fH (Perry Barr (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. South Staffs Water: hard, 223 mg/l, 15.6 °Clark, 12.5 °dH, 22.3 °fH (Barr Beacon South East (supply zone), 2025). Zone average. Severn Trent Water: soft, 35 mg/l, 2.5 °Clark, 2.0 °dH, 3.5 °fH (Rubery (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 58 mg/l, 4.1 °Clark, 3.2 °dH, 5.8 °fH (Highters Heath (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 55 mg/l, 3.8 °Clark, 3.1 °dH, 5.5 °fH (Water Orton (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 58 mg/l, 4.1 °Clark, 3.2 °dH, 5.8 °fH (Shirley (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Severn Trent Water: soft, 55 mg/l, 3.9 °Clark, 3.1 °dH, 5.5 °fH (Solihull (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. South Staffs Water: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. Severn Trent Water: soft, 56 mg/l, 3.9 °Clark, 3.1 °dH, 5.6 °fH (Hampstead (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. South Staffs Water: moderately hard, 161 mg/l, 11.3 °Clark, 9.0 °dH, 16.1 °fH (Hayley Green (supply zone), 2025). Zone average. Severn Trent Water: moderately hard, 151 mg/l, 10.6 °Clark, 8.5 °dH, 15.1 °fH (Willenhall (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value.

What does the drinking water regulator's record show for Birmingham?

Severn Trent Water: at least 40 tests failed UK drinking-water standards in 2025 (DWI, company-wide). Some published DWI figures don't reconcile or identify a company, so we've left them out; the true number may be higher. England overall: 99.97% of tests met standards.

Could homes in Birmingham have lead pipes?

70% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of Birmingham we can match to council-tax records (100% of its postcodes) whose build period is known; the share with no recorded build period isn't published for these areas. Allowing for suppressed counts: 69–70%. England and Wales: 61% (2026). Older homes are more likely to have lead pipes. Only a test tells you whether yours does.

Is the water in Birmingham fluoridated?

We cannot confirm whether this area is part of a water fluoridation scheme. Ask your water supplier using your postcode. Around one in ten people in England receive drinking water supplied by a fluoridation scheme.