Uppermill Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
11.4°Clark16.3°fH9.1°dH
Source
mixed
pH Level
7.9
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
445 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
£0.37
energy & soap waste
Source: DWI Data Portal · Updated 2026
0–60
mg/L
Soft
61–120
mg/L
Moderately Hard
121–180
mg/L
Hard
180+
mg/L
Very Hard
Appliance Damage Report
In Uppermill, your appliances are currently losing 22% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Uppermill | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.2 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -51% |
| Washing Machine | 7.6 yrs | 12 yrs | -37% |
| Water Heater | 9.1 yrs | 15 yrs | -39% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Uppermill compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | Clark° | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Uppermill, North West | 163 mg/L | 11.4° | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
| Saddleworth, North West | 203 mg/L | 14.2° | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Lees, North West | 94 mg/L | 6.6° | 🟡 Moderately Hard | mixed |
| Stalybridge, North West | 105.5 mg/L | 7.4° | 🟡 Moderately Hard | mixed |
| Dukinfield, North West | 149.5 mg/L | 10.5° | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
National Benchmark
How Uppermill compares to the United Kingdom average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Uppermill | 163 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| United Kingdom National Avg | 183 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| Livingston Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Uppermill's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
United Utilities supplies Uppermill, the principal village of Saddleworth in the Borough of Oldham — a handsome Pennine village at the heart of the Saddleworth community, with a distinctive canal and watermill character on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, famous for the Saddleworth Rushcart Festival and the Whit Friday Brass Band Contest, and gateway to the dramatic moorlands of Dovestones and the Peak District fringe — from Dovestones Reservoir on the Pennine Millstone Grit upland in the Tame Valley, treated at Bredbury Water Treatment Works near Stockport. At 163 mg/L (11.4°Clark), Uppermill's water is hard — significantly harder than the soft Pennine moorland upland baseline — reflecting a Triassic Bunter Sandstone groundwater fraction blended with the Dovestones reservoir supply in the Saddleworth distribution network.
Uppermill lies in the Pennine Tame Valley in the Borough of Oldham where United Utilities delivers Dovestones Reservoir supply (soft Millstone Grit catchment) blended with a proportion of Permo-Triassic Sherwood Sandstone groundwater in the Greater Manchester Saddleworth distribution zone. The Triassic Sandstone fraction elevates hardness to 163 mg/L with TDS 445 mg/L — hard water with an elevated TDS/hardness ratio (2.73) consistent with modest sulphate from the Triassic Mercia Mudstone beds in the east Manchester distribution system.
At 163 mg/L, limescale is a consistent household challenge in Uppermill. Kettles should be descaled monthly. The combi-boiler benefits from a fitted scale inhibitor and annual professional servicing. Washing-up liquid requires more product per wash. Taps and shower heads develop visible white limescale deposits within one to two weeks; a fortnightly wipe with white vinegar or a proprietary descaling product keeps fittings clean. The moderately hard supply at Uppermill is a domestic surprise for a Pennine moorland community — the soft moorland rain falling on the Dovestones gritstone picks up mineralisation on its journey through the Triassic lowland distribution system before reaching the kettle.
Geology & Source: Supplied by United Utilities from Dovestones Reservoir on the Pennine Millstone Grit upland in the Saddleworth Tame Valley distribution zone — treated at Bredbury Water Treatment Works — produces hard water at 163 mg/L (11.4°Clark).