The Water Dictionary

Tap Water in FY5

Warbreck TowerUnited Utilities

Tap water in Warbreck Tower, supplied by United Utilities, has the character of a blended surface and groundwater supply, with no dominant mineral signature. It’s moderately soft, in the lower end of the national range, with a total hardness of 145 mg/L as CaCO₃.


Mineral composition

mg/L
Calcium43
Magnesium9
Sodium29
Sulfate40
Chloride16
Bicarbonate110

Additional info

Hardness145 as CaCO₃
Alkalinity90.3 as CaCO₃
pH7.32
Conductivity365 µS/cm
SourceUnited Utilities
Data year2025

What this means

Kettle & appliances

Some light mineral residue may appear in kettles over time, but significant limescale buildup is unlikely. No treatment needed for most appliances.

Espresso

A good range for espresso. Enough mineral content to provide body and balance acidity without posing a real scale risk to the machine. Most specialty coffee water targets fall in or near this band.

Filter & pour-over

Excellent for filter brewing. The slight mineral content adds body and sweetness without masking acidity, giving a balanced cup across most roast levels. This is close to the SCA’s recommended range for brewed coffee.

Drinking & cooking

Tastes clean with a slight mineral presence. Good all-round water for cooking; it won’t interfere with delicate flavours or leave noticeable deposits.

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.


Get the best from your water

FY5 tap water works well for espresso, baking, and aquarium use with little or no adjustment. Brewing is within reach with salt additions. It has too much mineral content for tea and horticulture; a bottled water blend is the better route for those.


Nearby areas


Data sourced from United Utilities (2025). Looking for a specific address? Look up your full postcode for the most accurate result.