Australian Water Quality Data
Look up water quality for any suburb in Australia.
Hardness, pH, fluoride, chlorine — all in plain English.
15,000+
Suburbs Covered
50+
Water Utilities
35+
Parameters Tracked
How it works
Find your suburb using the search bar above to look up local water quality data.
See a 0-10 score with a detailed breakdown of parameters like hardness, pH, and chlorine.
Get personalised filter and safety advice based on your suburb's water profile.
Watch
A quick look at how WaterScore helps you understand what's in your suburb's tap water.
Why it matters
Australian tap water is generally safe, but quality varies significantly between suburbs. Knowing what's in your water helps you make better decisions for your household.
Some suburbs have elevated levels of chlorine, fluoride, or hardness minerals. Understanding your local water profile helps you decide whether a filter is worthwhile — especially for young children, pregnant women, or anyone with sensitivities.
Hard water causes limescale buildup in kettles, hot water systems, and dishwashers — shortening their lifespan. In high-hardness areas like Adelaide and parts of Perth, knowing your water hardness level can save you hundreds of dollars in repairs and replacements.
Not every suburb needs the same filter. A reverse osmosis system might be overkill for Melbourne's soft water, while a simple carbon filter won't solve Adelaide's hardness problem. We help you match the right solution to your actual water quality.
Water utilities publish annual drinking water quality reports, but they're often buried in dense PDFs full of technical jargon. WaterScore translates that data into plain-English scores so every Australian can understand what's flowing from their tap.
Filter Match
Do not buy the same filter for every suburb. Start with the symptom you notice, then check your suburb data before choosing the fix.
Chlorine keeps water safe in the pipes, but it can leave a pool-like taste in tea, coffee, and every glass on the table.
A carbon jug is the simple fix: no plumbing, fast setup, and replacement cartridges are easy to find in Australia.
BRITA Our pick
Marella 2.4L Fridge Water Filter Jug
4.7 · 16,095 ratings on Amazon
Hard water leaves mineral scale on kettles, coffee machines, shower glass, and heating elements. Boiling does not remove it.
For hard-water suburbs, reverse osmosis is the drinking-water fix that actually lowers dissolved minerals at the tap.
iSpring Our pick
RCC7AK 6-Stage Under-Sink RO
4.6 · 13,756 ratings on Amazon
Most basic carbon jugs are built for taste, not fluoride. Boiling water can concentrate fluoride rather than remove it.
Use a filter designed for dissolved ions, such as ZeroWater or reverse osmosis, when fluoride reduction is the goal.
ZeroWater Our pick
2.8L 5-Stage Jug with TDS Meter
4.2 · 5,315 ratings on Amazon
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Official utility reports
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Explore Australia
Explore tap water data for every state and territory
Comprehensive Data
We track over 35 water quality parameters sourced from official utility reports. Here are the key indicators that affect your daily life.
Measured in mg/L of calcium carbonate. Hard water causes scale buildup and affects soap lathering. Ranges from very soft (<60 mg/L) to very hard (>180 mg/L).
The acidity or alkalinity of your water. The ADWG recommends 6.5–8.5. Water outside this range can corrode pipes or taste unpleasant.
Added to most Australian water supplies for dental health. The target is typically 0.6–1.1 mg/L. Some areas have naturally higher or lower levels.
Used to disinfect water and keep it safe through the pipe network. Higher residual chlorine can affect taste and smell. Easily removed by carbon filters.
TDS measures all dissolved minerals, salts, and metals. The ADWG guideline is below 600 mg/L. Higher TDS often indicates harder water.
A measure of water clarity. Low turbidity (<1 NTU) means clear, clean water. Spikes after heavy rain can indicate treatment challenges.
These metals cause brown or black staining on fixtures. While not harmful at typical levels, they affect water appearance and taste.
Indicates the total ionic content of water. Higher conductivity typically correlates with higher mineral content and salinity levels.
National Rankings
Top 10 best and worst suburbs for tap water quality across Australia
| # | Suburb | State | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oak Valley | SA | 9.8/10 |
| 2 | Yunyarinyi | SA | 9.8/10 |
| 3 | Bracknell | TAS | 9.8/10 |
| 4 | Poatina | TAS | 9.8/10 |
| 5 | Bronte Park | TAS | 9.8/10 |
| 6 | Bradys Lake | TAS | 9.8/10 |
| 7 | Flagstaff Gully | TAS | 9.8/10 |
| 8 | Geilston Bay | TAS | 9.8/10 |
| 9 | Lindisfarne | TAS | 9.8/10 |
| 10 | Rose Bay | TAS | 9.8/10 |
| # | Suburb | State | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Padthaway | SA | 7.4/10 |
| 2 | Melrose | SA | 7.4/10 |
| 3 | Wrattonbully | SA | 7.5/10 |
| 4 | Wild Dog Valley | SA | 7.5/10 |
| 5 | The Gap | SA | 7.5/10 |
| 6 | Stewart Range | SA | 7.5/10 |
| 7 | Spence | SA | 7.5/10 |
| 8 | Moyhall | SA | 7.5/10 |
| 9 | Mount Light | SA | 7.5/10 |
| 10 | Marcollat | SA | 7.5/10 |
Quick Access
Quick access to frequently searched suburbs
Knowledge Base
Expert guides to Australian water quality
Is tap water safe to drink in Cairns? Yes. The city supply passed 100% of its 2,096 E. coli tests in 2024-25. See fluori…
Sunshine Coast water hardness averages 58.6 mg/L, from 48 at Landers Shute to 88 at Image Flat. See which suburbs get wh…
Launceston water hardness is soft everywhere, but Lake Trevallyn suburbs run 43 to 64 mg/L against 25 to 35 on the North…
Common Questions
Everything you need to know about Australian tap water quality
Yes — Australian tap water is among the safest in the world. All public water supplies must meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) set by the NHMRC. However, water quality varies between regions. Some suburbs have harder water, higher chlorine levels, or older pipe infrastructure that can affect taste and mineral content. WaterScore helps you understand exactly what's in your local supply.
We source data directly from official annual drinking water quality reports published by over 50 water utilities across Australia — including Sydney Water, Melbourne Water, SA Water, and Water Corporation. These reports are required by state health regulators and contain lab-tested measurements of dozens of water quality parameters.
Each suburb receives a score from 0 to 10 based on how its water quality compares to the ADWG guidelines. A score of 8–10 means excellent water quality with all parameters well within guidelines. Scores of 5–7 indicate acceptable quality with some parameters approaching limits. Below 5 means one or more parameters may exceed recommended levels. The score weighs health-related parameters more heavily than aesthetic ones.
It depends on your suburb. Most Australian tap water is perfectly safe to drink unfiltered. However, a filter can improve taste by removing chlorine, reduce hardness minerals in areas like Adelaide or regional WA, and provide extra peace of mind for families with young children. Search your suburb on WaterScore to see whether a filter is recommended based on your actual local water data.
Water quality varies due to the source (dam, river, groundwater, or desalination), the treatment process used, the distance water travels through pipes, and local geology. For example, Melbourne draws from protected mountain catchments and has some of Australia's softest water, while Adelaide relies on the River Murray and groundwater, resulting in harder, more mineral-rich water. Even within the same city, different suburbs may be served by different treatment plants.
We update our data quarterly as water utilities publish new reports. Most utilities release comprehensive annual reports, with some providing quarterly or monthly updates. Each suburb page shows when its data was last refreshed so you always know how current the information is.
Search any of 15,000+ Australian suburbs to see a detailed breakdown of your local water quality — free, independent, and updated quarterly.
Disclaimer: WaterScore provides general information about tap water quality for educational purposes only. This website does not provide medical advice, health recommendations, or professional guidance. Data is sourced from publicly available water utility reports and may not reflect current conditions at your tap. Water quality can vary due to local plumbing, seasonal changes, and other factors not captured in utility-level reporting. Always consult your local water utility or a qualified health professional for concerns about your drinking water. See our Terms of Use.