Is Southampton tap water safe to drink?

Who supplies water in Southampton

Drinking-water test record

How hard is the water in Southampton?

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 Southampton

Is the water in Southampton hard or soft?

Southern Water: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. Southern Water: very hard, 305 mg/l, 21.4 °Clark, 17.1 °dH, 30.5 °fH (E01017158 (neighbourhood average), 23 February 2024 to 2 January 2025). 305 mg/l, average of 3 samples (23 February 2024 to 2 January 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 308 mg/l, 21.6 °Clark, 17.3 °dH, 30.8 °fH (E01017145 (neighbourhood average), 12 October 2023 to 25 April 2025). 308 mg/l, average of 4 samples (12 October 2023 to 25 April 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 305 mg/l, 21.4 °Clark, 17.1 °dH, 30.5 °fH (E01017155 (neighbourhood average), 13 July 2023 to 1 August 2025). 305 mg/l, average of 4 samples (13 July 2023 to 1 August 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 307 mg/l, 21.5 °Clark, 17.2 °dH, 30.7 °fH (E01017265 (neighbourhood average), 23 November 2023 to 3 April 2025). 307 mg/l, average of 4 samples (23 November 2023 to 3 April 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 309 mg/l, 21.7 °Clark, 17.3 °dH, 30.9 °fH (E01017167 (neighbourhood average), 24 November 2023 to 27 June 2025). 309 mg/l, average of 3 samples (24 November 2023 to 27 June 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 308 mg/l, 21.6 °Clark, 17.3 °dH, 30.8 °fH (E01017237 (neighbourhood average), 19 August 2024 to 3 March 2025). 308 mg/l, average of 3 samples (19 August 2024 to 3 March 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: hard, 297 mg/l, 20.8 °Clark, 16.6 °dH, 29.7 °fH (E01017198 (neighbourhood average), 3 October 2024 to 11 March 2025). 297 mg/l, average of 3 samples (3 October 2024 to 11 March 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 300 mg/l, 21.1 °Clark, 16.8 °dH, 30.0 °fH (E01017256 (neighbourhood average), 26 January 2024 to 25 January 2025). 300 mg/l, average of 4 samples (26 January 2024 to 25 January 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 301 mg/l, 21.1 °Clark, 16.9 °dH, 30.1 °fH (E01017254 (neighbourhood average), 16 June 2023 to 24 October 2024). 301 mg/l, average of 3 samples (16 June 2023 to 24 October 2024), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 310 mg/l, 21.7 °Clark, 17.3 °dH, 31.0 °fH (E01017148 (neighbourhood average), 22 January 2024 to 18 November 2024). 310 mg/l, average of 6 samples (22 January 2024 to 18 November 2024), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 302 mg/l, 21.2 °Clark, 16.9 °dH, 30.2 °fH (E01017225 (neighbourhood average), 21 August 2024 to 5 March 2025). 302 mg/l, average of 4 samples (21 August 2024 to 5 March 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 301 mg/l, 21.1 °Clark, 16.9 °dH, 30.1 °fH (E01017204 (neighbourhood average), 15 June 2023 to 9 June 2025). 301 mg/l, average of 3 samples (15 June 2023 to 9 June 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 310 mg/l, 21.7 °Clark, 17.3 °dH, 31.0 °fH (E01017178 (neighbourhood average), 19 May 2023 to 27 May 2025). 310 mg/l, average of 3 samples (19 May 2023 to 27 May 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 306 mg/l, 21.5 °Clark, 17.2 °dH, 30.6 °fH (E01017280 (neighbourhood average), 21 August 2024 to 29 May 2025). 306 mg/l, average of 3 samples (21 August 2024 to 29 May 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: hard, 298 mg/l, 20.9 °Clark, 16.7 °dH, 29.8 °fH (E01017221 (neighbourhood average), 13 August 2024 to 6 September 2024). 298 mg/l, average of 3 samples (13 August 2024 to 6 September 2024), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 310 mg/l, 21.7 °Clark, 17.3 °dH, 31.0 °fH (E01035446 (neighbourhood average), 19 October 2023 to 22 January 2025). 310 mg/l, average of 3 samples (19 October 2023 to 22 January 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: hard, 277 mg/l, 19.4 °Clark, 15.5 °dH, 27.7 °fH (E01017241 (neighbourhood average), 17 October 2023 to 13 May 2025). 277 mg/l, average of 4 samples (17 October 2023 to 13 May 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: hard, 289 mg/l, 20.3 °Clark, 16.2 °dH, 28.9 °fH (E01017272 (neighbourhood average), 5 December 2023 to 26 July 2024). 289 mg/l, average of 3 samples (5 December 2023 to 26 July 2024), 0 excluded. Southern Water: hard, 299 mg/l, 21.0 °Clark, 16.7 °dH, 29.9 °fH (E01017279 (neighbourhood average), 22 September 2023 to 21 October 2024). 299 mg/l, average of 3 samples (22 September 2023 to 21 October 2024), 0 excluded. Southern Water: hard, 300 mg/l, 21.0 °Clark, 16.8 °dH, 30.0 °fH (E01017263 (neighbourhood average), 14 August 2024 to 11 April 2025). 300 mg/l, average of 3 samples (14 August 2024 to 11 April 2025), 0 excluded. Southern Water: hard, 270 mg/l, 18.9 °Clark, 15.1 °dH, 27.0 °fH (E01017270 (neighbourhood average), 11 May 2023 to 23 June 2023). 270 mg/l, average of 3 samples (11 May 2023 to 23 June 2023), 0 excluded. Southern Water: very hard, 302 mg/l, 21.2 °Clark, 16.9 °dH, 30.2 °fH (E01035443 (neighbourhood average), 20 December 2023 to 12 June 2025). 302 mg/l, average of 3 samples (20 December 2023 to 12 June 2025), 0 excluded.

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

Southern Water: at least 24 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 Southampton have lead pipes?

65% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of Southampton 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: 64–65%. 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 Southampton 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.