The Water Dictionary

Tap Water in YO51

Boroughbridge 2019Yorkshire Water

Tap water in Boroughbridge 2019, supplied by Yorkshire Water, has the character of a blended surface and groundwater supply, with no dominant mineral signature. It's slightly hard, around the national midpoint, with a total hardness of 197 mg/L as CaCO₃.


Mineral composition

mg/L
Calcium65
Magnesium9
Sodium13
Sulfate96
Chloride18
Bicarbonate~120
~ Estimated from hardness and ion balance — not directly measured by the water company.

Additional info

Hardness196.8 as CaCO₃
Alkalinity98.1 as CaCO₃
pH7.3
Conductivity392 µS/cm
SourceYorkshire Water
Data year2024

What this means

Kettle & appliances

Light limescale will accumulate in kettles and on heating elements over weeks. A periodic descale (monthly or so) will keep things in check, but it's not urgent.

Espresso

Hardness at this level starts to affect espresso machines more noticeably. Scale will form in boilers over months, and the water's buffering will round off some of the brighter acidity in the cup. Regular descaling becomes worthwhile.

Filter & pour-over

Filter coffee starts to lose some of its top-end brightness here. Lighter roasts will taste rounder and less distinctive than they would with softer water, though medium and darker roasts hold up well. The cup won't be flat, but the crispest acidity is softened.

Drinking & cooking

A faint mineral taste may be noticeable if you're paying attention. Vegetables and pulses cook normally; rice and pasta are unaffected.

Bicarbonate

The buffering starts to become assertive: darker beer styles (porters, milds, brown ales) benefit from this level as it supports higher mash pH, but espresso will begin losing some of its brighter acidity, producing a rounder, heavier cup that flatters darker roasts while muting lighter ones.


Closest water profiles


Nearby areas


Data sourced from Yorkshire Water (2024). Looking for a specific address? Look up your full postcode for the most accurate result.