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Regulator record

NE3 tap water: what's in it?

Northumbrian, Essex and Suffolk Water group (figures include Northumbrian Water): at least 36 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.

NE3 tap water quality report · 2026

  • Hardness

    Not covered

    Details

    We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report.

  • Hosepipe ban

    No hosepipe ban

    Details

    Checked 11 October 2026 at 02:34

  • Storm overflows

    206 overflows within 10 km of NE3 centre

    Details

    3,556 spills in 2025

  • Lead pipes

    71% built before 1973

    Details

    Estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of NE3 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. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

    Ask Northumbrian Water for a free lead test ↗

    Lead test kits

Who supplies water in NE3

Drinking-water test record

Northumbrian Water: 1,189 of 1,189 postcodes

Northumbrian Water

Northumbrian, Essex and Suffolk Water group, includes Northumbrian Water

Regulator
DWI
Report year
2025
Failed tests
Not shown
Tests
266,202

The regulator's published total and its company rows disagree, so we don't show a count.

Failed tests by parameter
AluminiumFailed tests: 4
E. coli (confirmed)Failed tests: 3
Enterococci (confirmed)Failed tests: 1
IronFailed tests: 9
LeadFailed tests: 5
ManganeseFailed tests: 3
NickelFailed tests: 2
Nitrite – consumers tapsFailed tests: 1
SodiumFailed tests: 1
Total coliforms (confirmed)Failed tests: 7

Source: DWI england 2025, Annex B — dated 6 July 2026, read 13 October 2026

Source: DWI england 2025, Annex A — dated 6 July 2026, read 13 October 2026

England: 99.97% of tests met standards in 2025 (DWI).

Source: DWI england 2025, national compliance — dated 6 July 2026, read 13 October 2026

How hard is the water in NE3?

Across NE3's supply zones, hardness ranges from 108 mg/l (slightly hard) to 123 mg/l (slightly hard). Those 6 zones cover 26% of its postcodes.

6 identified supply zones in NE3

High Service South Zone · Northumbrian Water (159 of 1,189 postcodes)

118 mg/l · 8.3 °Clark · 6.6 °dH · 11.8 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

High Service South Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

Fenham & Gosforth Park Zone · Northumbrian Water (66 of 1,189 postcodes)

108 mg/l · 7.6 °Clark · 6.0 °dH · 10.8 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

Fenham & Gosforth Park Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

Birney Hill Zone · Northumbrian Water (64 of 1,189 postcodes)

123 mg/l · 8.6 °Clark · 6.9 °dH · 12.3 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

Birney Hill Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

High Service North Zone · Northumbrian Water (9 of 1,189 postcodes)

122 mg/l · 8.6 °Clark · 6.8 °dH · 12.2 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

High Service North Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

Hazelrigg Zone · Northumbrian Water (7 of 1,189 postcodes)

121 mg/l · 8.5 °Clark · 6.8 °dH · 12.1 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

Hazelrigg Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

Low Service to City Centre Zone · Northumbrian Water (1 of 1,189 postcodes)

109 mg/l · 7.6 °Clark · 6.1 °dH · 10.9 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

Low Service to City Centre Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

883 postcodes without an identified supply zone

Northumbrian Water (883 of 1,189 postcodes)

We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report.

Ask your water company

Storm overflows nearby

206 overflows within 10 km of NE3 centre · 3,556 spills in 2025

NE3 (district) · 2025

Source: Environment Agency EDM annual return 2025 — dated 20 August 2026, read 13 October 2026

Overflows here are run by Northumbrian Water.

184 of these were monitored for only part of 2025.

Nearest 5 shown

  1. FARNE AVENUE CSO

    Into OUSEBURN · 1.2 km from the centre of NE3

    5 spills · 0.9 hours · Monitored 84.7% of 2025

  2. ST NICHOLAS HOSPITAL SSO

    Into OUSE BURN · 1.3 km from the centre of NE3

    2 spills · 0.2 hours · Monitored 85.3% of 2025

  3. CSO AT THREE MILE INN

    Into OUSE BURN · 1.4 km from the centre of NE3

    0 spills · 0 hours · Monitored 94.4% of 2025

  4. ACOMB CRESCENT (CATHEDRAL) CSO

    Into OUSE BURN · 1.5 km from the centre of NE3

    12 spills · 15.3 hours · Monitored 99.7% of 2025

  5. MOOR ROAD SOUTH CSO

    Into UNNAMED TRIB OF OUSE BURN · 1.7 km from the centre of NE3

    8 spills · 6 hours · Monitored 98.8% of 2025

Annual 2025 figures from monitored overflows. Not live, and not a bathing-water or tap-water verdict.

  • 57 England outfalls in the 2025 return had no usable location and aren't counted.
  • Northern Ireland isn't covered: No licensed annual per-outfall source in the approved source list; BT postcode coordinates require an LPS licence.

Older homes and lead pipes

71% built before 1973

71% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test.

Homes in the parts of NE3 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. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

Older homes are more likely to have lead pipes. Only a test tells you whether yours does.

NE3 (district) · 2026

Source: Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties — dated 31 March 2026, read 24 September 2026

Fluoride

We cannot confirm whether this area is part of a water fluoridation scheme. Ask your water supplier using your postcode.

About fluoride in UK water

Around one in ten people in England receive drinking water supplied by a fluoridation scheme.

England · 2026 health monitoring report

Source: UKHSA and DHSC — dated 30 March 2026, read 13 October 2026

Fluoride in UK tap water

Hosepipe bans

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What you can do

General picks — we don't hold your hardness

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links go to amazon.com; Amazon's Earn Globally service can localise them to amazon.co.uk. Check the model and UK delivery before buying.

Water filter jugs

  • LifeStraw

    LSH7GLSPK21

    Performance certification:

    Certified by WQA to NSF/ANSI 42 for Aesthetic Chlorine and Taste and Odor; Certified by WQA to NSF/ANSI 53 for Lead and Mercury; Certified by WQA to NSF/ANSI 401 for Microplastics (a US/international standard; it is not UK approval)

    reduces chlorine taste and odour in drinking water.

    A UK retailer lists this model. Amazon UK stock and delivery are unverified; this Amazon link may not ship to the UK. Check the exact model and UK delivery before you pay.

    UK availability evidence checked 14 October 2026.

    View Details

Shower filters

  • Weddell Water

    WD-100BL

    Performance certification:

    Certified by NSF to NSF/ANSI 177 for Free Available Chlorine Reduction (a US/international standard; it is not UK approval)

    reduces chlorine in shower water; does not soften water.

    A UK retailer lists this model. Amazon UK stock and delivery are unverified; this Amazon link may not ship to the UK. Check the exact model and UK delivery before you pay.

    Check it fits your shower fitting before buying; a US fitting may need an adaptor.

    UK availability evidence checked 14 October 2026.

    View Details

We haven't verified a lead test kit for UK buyers yet.

What a pick has to pass:

  • A lead result reported by a laboratory accredited for that test (UKAS, ISO/IEC 17025), named on the kit's listing
  • UK availability evidenced by Amazon UK, the manufacturer or a UK retailer, checked in the last 90 days

Start with your water company: if you think you have lead pipes, you can ask it to test the water at your kitchen tap. Which water test you need

Common water problems

Questions about tap water in NE3

Is the water in NE3 hard or soft?
Northumbrian Water: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 118 mg/l, 8.3 °Clark, 6.6 °dH, 11.8 °fH (High Service South Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 108 mg/l, 7.6 °Clark, 6.0 °dH, 10.8 °fH (Fenham & Gosforth Park Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 123 mg/l, 8.6 °Clark, 6.9 °dH, 12.3 °fH (Birney Hill Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 122 mg/l, 8.6 °Clark, 6.8 °dH, 12.2 °fH (High Service North Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 121 mg/l, 8.5 °Clark, 6.8 °dH, 12.1 °fH (Hazelrigg Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 109 mg/l, 7.6 °Clark, 6.1 °dH, 10.9 °fH (Low Service to City Centre Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average.
What does the drinking water regulator's record show for NE3?
Northumbrian, Essex and Suffolk Water group (figures include Northumbrian Water): at least 36 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 NE3 have lead pipes?
71% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of NE3 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. 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 NE3 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.
Sources and method

Northumbrian Water contact page, Northumbrian Water, Northumbrian Water, Northumbrian Water, Northumbrian Water, Northumbrian Water, Northumbrian Water: Database right, used under the publisher's terms.

Water company boundaries © Water UK, licensed under CC BY 4.0Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated © Crown copyright

Data generation uk-2026-10-16-derive6

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By TapWaterData Editorial

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