Is It Safe To Drink UK Tap Water?

Staying hydrated is vital to feeling energised and healthy throughout the day. However, some people don’t feel comfortable drinking water from the tap and instead buy bottled water every day, which can be expensive and also unnecessary. This post should help you learn more about water in the UK covering questions like whether it is safe to drink or whether it needs to be softened.

Where Does Tap Water Come From?

In England and Wales, around 33% of all tap water comes from underground sources, in Northern Ireland this number is only 6% and in Scotland, it is only 3%. The remaining water comes from reservoirs, lakes or rivers. 

Is It Safe To Drink?

No matter where your water is coming from in the UK it is always highly regulated and will always be safe to drink even for babies. However, It is best to give babies water that is unsoftened as there can be a lot of sodium in there. 

Tap water is also the freshest water you can get since bottled water could have been sitting on the shelves for weeks, tap water, on the other hand, is only a few hours or days old. The only time that your tap water may be problematic is when the taps are not being cleaned regularly or there is faulty plumbing maintenance. 

Does The Water Need To Be Softened?

The softness of your tap water will vary based on where you are based in the country. It is your local landscape that determines the softness of the water, as the rain falls it is naturally soft, however, once it hits the ground and filters through the rocks it will pick up natural minerals such as calcium and magnesium which make it harder. Generally speaking, the water is harder in the south and softer in the north. You can check how hard your water is with Aqua Cure’s postcode checker. 

Some people who live in areas with hard water will choose to soften it. This does not provide any health benefits however, people do this to improve the efficiency and lifespan of household appliances such as dishwashers, washing machines, sinks or kettles. However, softened water isn’t great if you plan on drinking it, instead of going ahead and softening your water to benefit your appliances, you can try some other things first:

Kettles

Fill your kettle up halfway and add in 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and let it sit there for around 4 hours. After the time is up you can rinse out the liquid and remove any of the scales. If need be you can repeat this process, alternatively, you can buy scale remover and follow the instructions given on the box.

Dishwashers

A lot of modern dishwashers already have a built-in water softener but you should also regularly top it up with dishwasher salts.

Baths, Sinks & Toilets

Limescale buildup is common due to the salt and calcium build-up found through hard water. To avoid this, make sure to clean them regularly with liquid cleansers or acid type sanitiser if the stains persist.

Contact Us

If you are in an area of the country where you have very hard water that may be damaging domestic appliances, softening your water might help. Pumping Solutions can help you come up with a way to keep the water safe for drinking while also protecting appliances in the home. Give us a call on 01775 711960 and speak to a member of our team.