Is Sheffield tap water safe to drink?

Who supplies water in Sheffield

Drinking-water test record

How hard is the water in Sheffield?

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 Sheffield

Is the water in Sheffield hard or soft?

Yorkshire Water: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. Yorkshire Water: soft, 48 mg/l, 3.4 °Clark, 2.7 °dH, 4.8 °fH (Sheffield City and Hillsborough 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 55 mg/l, 3.8 °Clark, 3.1 °dH, 5.5 °fH (Grenoside and Oughtibridge 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Severn Trent Water: slightly hard, 127 mg/l, 8.9 °Clark, 7.1 °dH, 12.7 °fH (Sheffield South (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Yorkshire Water: soft, 18 mg/l, 1.3 °Clark, 1.0 °dH, 1.8 °fH (Ringinglow 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 20 mg/l, 1.4 °Clark, 1.1 °dH, 2.0 °fH (Green Hill and Oaks Tower 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 20 mg/l, 1.4 °Clark, 1.1 °dH, 2.0 °fH (Manor and East Bank 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 20 mg/l, 1.4 °Clark, 1.1 °dH, 2.0 °fH (Sharrow 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 53 mg/l, 3.7 °Clark, 3.0 °dH, 5.3 °fH (Loxley 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 19 mg/l, 1.4 °Clark, 1.1 °dH, 1.9 °fH (Neepsend 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: slightly hard, 147 mg/l, 10.3 °Clark, 8.2 °dH, 14.7 °fH (Rotherham and Tinsley 2019 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 56 mg/l, 3.9 °Clark, 3.1 °dH, 5.6 °fH (Wincobank 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: slightly hard, 138 mg/l, 9.7 °Clark, 7.7 °dH, 13.8 °fH (Aughton and Woodhouse 2024 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 38 mg/l, 2.7 °Clark, 2.1 °dH, 3.8 °fH (Moonshine 2019 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 49 mg/l, 3.4 °Clark, 2.7 °dH, 4.9 °fH (Ewden 2019 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Yorkshire Water: soft, 57 mg/l, 4.0 °Clark, 3.2 °dH, 5.7 °fH (Barnsley - Langsett 2019 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Severn Trent Water: slightly hard, 126 mg/l, 8.8 °Clark, 7.1 °dH, 12.6 °fH (Higham (supply zone), 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026). Typical value. Yorkshire Water: hard, 256 mg/l, 18.0 °Clark, 14.3 °dH, 25.6 °fH (Rawmarsh and Wickersley 2019 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average. Severn Trent Water: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. Yorkshire Water: moderately hard, 189 mg/l, 13.2 °Clark, 10.6 °dH, 18.9 °fH (Kimberworth 2019 (supply zone), 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024). Zone average.

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

Yorkshire Water: at least 69 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 Sheffield have lead pipes?

66% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of Sheffield 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: 65–66%. 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 Sheffield 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.