Why Not to Drink Tap Water in the UK?

When you live in or visit the UK, one of the first questions you ask yourself is: is tap water safe to drink? While the UK has stricter water safety standards than many countries, there are good reasons why many people choose not to drink tap water at all. In this blog, we’ll look at why some experts and households recommend filtered water instead of tap water, what are the risks, and how you can have safer, cleaner water at home.

The UK government and water companies say tap water is treated and regulated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) . Most of the time it meets the minimum health and safety standards.

But “safe” doesn’t always mean healthy or clean for daily consumption. Even if tap water meets the regulations, it may still contain:

• Chlorine – used to kill bacteria but can affect taste and irritate sensitive people.
• Microplastics – recent studies have found plastic particles in UK tap water.
• Heavy metals like lead – old pipe systems, especially in older UK homes, can leach lead into water.
• Hard water minerals – limescale causing calcium and magnesium, common in many UK areas.

So while tap water won’t make you sick immediately, it’s not the healthiest option for long term drinking.

One of the biggest concerns is lead piping. Many homes built before 1970 in the UK still have lead pipes. Even with modern treatment, lead can still seep into tap water, especially in older areas. Lead exposure over time can cause serious health issues like developmental problems in children and high blood pressure in adults.

To keep tap water safe, UK suppliers use chlorine to kill bacteria. But chlorine tastes and smells unpleasant. And when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter in the water, it creates disinfection byproducts (DBPs) like trihalomethanes which have been linked to health risks.

A 2017 study by Orb Media found that over 70% of UK tap water samples contained microplastics. These tiny particles are invisible to the eye but can enter the body when you drink tap water. While research is ongoing, scientists believe microplastics could affect human health in the long run.

Most of the UK has hard water, especially in the South and East of England. Hard water is rich in calcium and magnesium. While not harmful to health, it causes limescale buildup in kettles, appliances and pipes and can make your skin feel dry after showers.

Water quality varies widely depending on where you live. For example:

• London and South East England have hard water with higher limescale.
• Scotland and Wales generally have softer water from natural sources but rural areas may have agricultural runoff.
• Urban areas may have more contaminants from older infrastructure.

This inconsistency makes it hard to guarantee the same water quality everywhere.

Related article: Parasites in Tap Water: What You Should Know

Yes, in some cases. Although rare, tap water can contain bacteria, parasites or viruses if the water supply is disrupted or contaminated. For example:

Cryptosporidium outbreaks have occurred in the UK and caused stomach illnesses. People with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and babies are more vulnerable to contaminated tap water.

Not necessarily. Many bottled waters in the UK are simply filtered tap water packaged in plastic. While it may taste better, bottled water comes with other concerns:

• Plastic leaching into water.
• Environmental waste from single-use bottles.
• Higher costs compared to filtering your own tap water with a water filter .

For many households the best option is filtered water. Using a good water filter can:

• Remove chlorine and improve taste.
• Reduce heavy metals like lead.
• Lower microplastic levels.
• Protect against bacteria and parasites.
• Soften water and reduce limescale.

• Faucet-mounted filters – easy to install, good for small households.
• Water filter pitchers – affordable and portable.
• Under-sink reverse osmosis systems – the most effective for removing contaminants.An under-sink reverse osmosis (RO) water filter is recommended for families as it provides the cleanest and safest drinking water.

Because while it meets regulations it may contain chlorine, lead from old pipes, microplastics and other impurities that affect long term health.

Yes it is regulated but it’s also very hard and contains chlorine. Many Londoners prefer filtered water for better taste and quality.

Boiling can kill bacteria but it won’t remove heavy metals, chlorine or microplastics. A water filter is more effective. Click here if you want to learn more about Best Water Filter for Microplastics in the UK .

Scotland and parts of Wales often have softer cleaner water compared to South East England but no region is completely free of risks.

Filtered water from a high quality reverse osmosis system is one of the best options for clean healthy hydration.

While the UK has some of the strictest tap water regulations in the world that doesn’t mean the water coming out of your tap is free from all risks. Chlorine, lead, microplastics and regional differences in water quality make many households think twice about drinking straight from the tap.

If you want the peace of mind of knowing your water is truly clean, safe and healthy invest in a good water filtration system. Not only does it improve taste but it also reduces long term health risks for you and your family.