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Regulator record

SR2 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.

SR2 tap water quality report · 2026

  • Hardness

    Very hard

    Details

    Ryhope & Dalton Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

  • Hosepipe ban

    No hosepipe ban

    Details

    Checked 11 October 2026 at 02:34

  • Storm overflows

    117 overflows within 10 km of SR2 centre

    Details

    1,574 spills in 2025

  • Lead pipes

    72% built before 1973

    Details

    Estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of SR2 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: 71–72%. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

    Ask Northumbrian Water for a free lead test ↗

    Lead test kits

Who supplies water in SR2

Drinking-water test record

Northumbrian Water: 866 of 866 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 SR2?

Across SR2's supply zones, hardness ranges from 201 mg/l (hard) to 372 mg/l (very hard). Those 5 zones cover 70% of its postcodes.

5 identified supply zones in SR2

Ryhope & Dalton Zone · Northumbrian Water (388 of 866 postcodes)

372 mg/l · 26.1 °Clark · 20.9 °dH · 37.2 °fH

Very hard

Zone average.

Ryhope & Dalton Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

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

Sunderland City Zone · Northumbrian Water (172 of 866 postcodes)

222 mg/l · 15.6 °Clark · 12.5 °dH · 22.2 °fH

Hard

Zone average.

Sunderland City Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

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

Mill Hill Outlet Zone · Northumbrian Water (22 of 866 postcodes)

283 mg/l · 19.8 °Clark · 15.8 °dH · 28.3 °fH

Hard

Zone average.

Mill Hill Outlet Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

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

Stoneygate Outlet Zone · Northumbrian Water (15 of 866 postcodes)

297 mg/l · 20.8 °Clark · 16.6 °dH · 29.7 °fH

Hard

Zone average.

Stoneygate Outlet Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

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

South Hylton Zone · Northumbrian Water (10 of 866 postcodes)

201 mg/l · 14.1 °Clark · 11.3 °dH · 20.1 °fH

Hard

Zone average.

South Hylton Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

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

259 postcodes without an identified supply zone

Northumbrian Water (259 of 866 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

117 overflows within 10 km of SR2 centre · 1,574 spills in 2025

SR2 (district) · 2025

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

Overflows here are run by Northumbrian Water.

108 of these were monitored for only part of 2025.

Nearest 5 shown

  1. BARLEY MOW PARK CSO

    Into HENDON BURN · 1.1 km from the centre of SR2

    0 spills · 0 hours · Monitored 89.3% of 2025

  2. GRANGETOWN CSO

    Into The North Sea · 1.3 km from the centre of SR2

    10 spills · 15.9 hours · Monitored 56.3% of 2025

  3. CSO SUNDERLANS GAS WORKS

    Into NORTH SEA · 1.4 km from the centre of SR2

    5 spills · 2.4 hours · Monitored 100% of 2025

  4. CSO SALTERFEN SU47

    Into NORTH SEA · 1.6 km from the centre of SR2

    42 spills · 68.2 hours · Monitored 99.8% of 2025

  5. BACK LODGE TERRACE CSO

    Into NORTH SEA · 1.7 km from the centre of SR2

    0 spills · 0 hours · Monitored 96.6% 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

72% built before 1973

72% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test.

Homes in the parts of SR2 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: 71–72%. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

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

SR2 (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

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 water softener for UK buyers yet.

What a pick has to pass:

  • An exact-model listing from NSF, WQA or IAPMO for the model sold in the UK
  • Listed to NSF/ANSI 44, the water softener standard
  • The manufacturer's documented feed connection and water-pressure range, so a plumber can check them against UK pipework
  • UK availability evidenced by Amazon UK, the manufacturer or a UK retailer, checked in the last 90 days

Until we can recommend one, see what a softener costs to buy, fit and run in the UK. Water softener cost

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 SR2

Is the water in SR2 hard or soft?
Northumbrian Water: very hard, 372 mg/l, 26.1 °Clark, 20.9 °dH, 37.2 °fH (Ryhope & Dalton Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. Northumbrian Water: hard, 222 mg/l, 15.6 °Clark, 12.5 °dH, 22.2 °fH (Sunderland City Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: hard, 283 mg/l, 19.8 °Clark, 15.8 °dH, 28.3 °fH (Mill Hill Outlet Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: hard, 297 mg/l, 20.8 °Clark, 16.6 °dH, 29.7 °fH (Stoneygate Outlet Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: hard, 201 mg/l, 14.1 °Clark, 11.3 °dH, 20.1 °fH (South Hylton Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average.
What does the drinking water regulator's record show for SR2?
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 SR2 have lead pipes?
72% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of SR2 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: 71–72%. 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 SR2 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: 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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