Compare Tap Water Quality — Australian Suburbs

Moving interstate? Choosing between neighbourhoods? Water quality can vary dramatically between Australian suburbs — even ones just a few kilometres apart. Use our side-by-side comparison tool to see how hardness, pH, chlorine, fluoride, and overall water scores stack up between any two suburbs.

Moving or relocating?

See how your new suburb's water compares to what you're used to. Hard water in Adelaide feels very different to Melbourne's soft supply — and your appliances will notice the change too.

Choosing the right filter?

Different water profiles need different filtration. Comparing your suburb against one with ideal scores helps you understand which parameters a filter should target.

Just curious?

Find out if Sydney really has better water than Brisbane, or whether Perth's desalinated supply outscores Adelaide's River Murray source. The data might surprise you.

Popular comparisons

Browse our most-searched suburb matchups, grouped by category. Click any comparison to see a full side-by-side breakdown of water quality parameters.

Cross-state comparisons

How does tap water compare between different states and cities?

Oak Valley vs Bracknell
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

SA vs TAS

Oak Valley vs Katoomba
9.8/10 Score 9.7/10

SA vs NSW

Oak Valley vs Romsey
9.8/10 Score 9.7/10

SA vs VIC

Oak Valley vs Karratha
9.8/10 Score 9.6/10

SA vs WA

Oak Valley vs Yulara
9.8/10 Score 9.6/10

SA vs NT

Oak Valley vs Southport
9.8/10 Score 8.4/10

SA vs QLD

Oak Valley vs Ainslie
9.8/10 Score 8.3/10

SA vs ACT

Bracknell vs Katoomba
9.8/10 Score 9.7/10

TAS vs NSW

Bracknell vs Romsey
9.8/10 Score 9.7/10

TAS vs VIC

Bracknell vs Karratha
9.8/10 Score 9.6/10

TAS vs WA

Bracknell vs Yulara
9.8/10 Score 9.6/10

TAS vs NT

Bracknell vs Southport
9.8/10 Score 8.4/10

TAS vs QLD

Bracknell vs Ainslie
9.8/10 Score 8.3/10

TAS vs ACT

Katoomba vs Romsey
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

NSW vs VIC

Katoomba vs Karratha
9.7/10 Score 9.6/10

NSW vs WA

Katoomba vs Yulara
9.7/10 Score 9.6/10

NSW vs NT

Katoomba vs Southport
9.7/10 Score 8.4/10

NSW vs QLD

Katoomba vs Ainslie
9.7/10 Score 8.3/10

NSW vs ACT

Romsey vs Karratha
9.7/10 Score 9.6/10

VIC vs WA

Romsey vs Yulara
9.7/10 Score 9.6/10

VIC vs NT

Romsey vs Southport
9.7/10 Score 8.4/10

VIC vs QLD

Romsey vs Ainslie
9.7/10 Score 8.3/10

VIC vs ACT

Karratha vs Yulara
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

WA vs NT

Karratha vs Southport
9.6/10 Score 8.4/10

WA vs QLD

Karratha vs Ainslie
9.6/10 Score 8.3/10

WA vs ACT

Yulara vs Southport
9.6/10 Score 8.4/10

NT vs QLD

Yulara vs Ainslie
9.6/10 Score 8.3/10

NT vs ACT

Southport vs Ainslie
8.4/10 Score 8.3/10

QLD vs ACT

Bondi vs St Kilda
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

NSW vs VIC

Parramatta vs Richmond
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

NSW vs VIC

Surry Hills vs Fitzroy
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

NSW vs VIC

Chatswood vs South Yarra
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

NSW vs VIC

Newtown vs West End
9.5/10 Score 8.2/10

NSW vs QLD

Manly vs Fremantle
9.5/10 Score 9.3/10

NSW vs WA

Cronulla vs Glenelg
9.5/10 Score 9/10

NSW vs SA

Paddington vs Subiaco
9.5/10 Score 9.3/10

NSW vs WA

Best vs worst by state

The highest and lowest rated suburbs in each state

Oak Valley vs Padthaway
9.8/10 Score 7.4/10

SA vs SA

Yunyarinyi vs Melrose
9.8/10 Score 7.4/10

SA vs SA

Bracknell vs Maria Island
9.8/10 Score 9/10

TAS vs TAS

Poatina vs Buckland
9.8/10 Score 9/10

TAS vs TAS

Katoomba vs Spencer
9.7/10 Score 9.1/10

NSW vs NSW

Leura vs Marlow
9.7/10 Score 9.1/10

NSW vs NSW

Romsey vs Nar Nar Goon North
9.7/10 Score 8.9/10

VIC vs VIC

Monegeetta vs Moorooduc
9.7/10 Score 9/10

VIC vs VIC

Karratha vs West Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands
9.6/10 Score 8.5/10

WA vs WA

Dampier vs Home Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands
9.6/10 Score 8.5/10

WA vs WA

Yulara vs Daly Waters
9.6/10 Score 8.6/10

NT vs NT

Aherrenge vs Timber Creek
9.6/10 Score 8.7/10

NT vs NT

Southport vs Riverview
8.4/10 Score 8.2/10

QLD vs QLD

Main Beach vs New Chum
8.4/10 Score 8.2/10

QLD vs QLD

Ainslie vs Erindale Centre
8.3/10 Score 7.8/10

ACT vs ACT

Braddon vs Kambah Village
8.3/10 Score 7.8/10

ACT vs ACT

Within-state matchups

Compare top-rated suburbs within the same state

Oak Valley vs Yunyarinyi
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

SA vs SA

Yunyarinyi vs Nullarbor
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

SA vs SA

Nullarbor vs Yalata
9.8/10 Score 9.6/10

SA vs SA

Yalata vs Mimili
9.6/10 Score 9.5/10

SA vs SA

Mimili vs Kanpi
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

SA vs SA

Oak Valley vs Wallaroo Mines
9.8/10 Score 9/10

SA vs SA

Bracknell vs Poatina
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Poatina vs Bronte Park
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Bronte Park vs Bradys Lake
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Bradys Lake vs Flagstaff Gully
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Flagstaff Gully vs Geilston Bay
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Bracknell vs Rocky Creek
9.8/10 Score 9.7/10

TAS vs TAS

Katoomba vs Leura
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

NSW vs NSW

Leura vs Wentworth Falls
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

NSW vs NSW

Wentworth Falls vs Lawson
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

NSW vs NSW

Lawson vs Hazelbrook
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

NSW vs NSW

Hazelbrook vs Woodford
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

NSW vs NSW

Katoomba vs Forest Glen
9.7/10 Score 9.5/10

NSW vs NSW

Romsey vs Monegeetta
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

VIC vs VIC

Monegeetta vs Cherokee
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

VIC vs VIC

Cherokee vs Kerrie
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

VIC vs VIC

Kerrie vs Springfield
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

VIC vs VIC

Springfield vs Chintin
9.7/10 Score 9.7/10

VIC vs VIC

Romsey vs Bonbeach
9.7/10 Score 9.5/10

VIC vs VIC

Karratha vs Dampier
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

WA vs WA

Dampier vs Roebourne
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

WA vs WA

Roebourne vs Wickham
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

WA vs WA

Wickham vs Point Samson
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

WA vs WA

Point Samson vs Cossack
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

WA vs WA

Karratha vs Cooloongup
9.6/10 Score 9.3/10

WA vs WA

Yulara vs Aherrenge
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

NT vs NT

Aherrenge vs Ali Curung
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

NT vs NT

Ali Curung vs Amata
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

NT vs NT

Amata vs Amoonguna
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

NT vs NT

Amoonguna vs Ampilatwatja
9.6/10 Score 9.6/10

NT vs NT

Yulara vs Leanyer
9.6/10 Score 9.3/10

NT vs NT

Southport vs Main Beach
8.4/10 Score 8.4/10

QLD vs QLD

Main Beach vs Surfers Paradise
8.4/10 Score 8.4/10

QLD vs QLD

Surfers Paradise vs Broadbeach
8.4/10 Score 8.4/10

QLD vs QLD

Broadbeach vs Mermaid Beach
8.4/10 Score 8.4/10

QLD vs QLD

Mermaid Beach vs Miami
8.4/10 Score 8.4/10

QLD vs QLD

Southport vs New Beith
8.4/10 Score 8.3/10

QLD vs QLD

Ainslie vs Braddon
8.3/10 Score 8.3/10

ACT vs ACT

Braddon vs Campbell
8.3/10 Score 8.3/10

ACT vs ACT

Campbell vs City
8.3/10 Score 8.3/10

ACT vs ACT

City vs Dickson
8.3/10 Score 8.3/10

ACT vs ACT

Dickson vs Downer
8.3/10 Score 8.3/10

ACT vs ACT

Ainslie vs Hughes
8.3/10 Score 8.3/10

ACT vs ACT

Bondi vs Manly
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

NSW vs NSW

Parramatta vs Chatswood
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

NSW vs NSW

Surry Hills vs Newtown
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

NSW vs NSW

St Kilda vs South Yarra
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

VIC vs VIC

Fitzroy vs Richmond
9.5/10 Score 9.5/10

VIC vs VIC

Fremantle vs Subiaco
9.3/10 Score 9.3/10

WA vs WA

Top ranked head-to-head

How do Australia's top-rated suburbs compare against each other?

Oak Valley vs Yunyarinyi
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

SA vs SA

Yunyarinyi vs Bracknell
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

SA vs TAS

Bracknell vs Poatina
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Poatina vs Bronte Park
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Bronte Park vs Bradys Lake
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Bradys Lake vs Flagstaff Gully
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Flagstaff Gully vs Geilston Bay
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Geilston Bay vs Lindisfarne
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Lindisfarne vs Rose Bay
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Rose Bay vs Risdon Vale
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Risdon Vale vs Grasstree Hill
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Oak Valley vs Bracknell
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

SA vs TAS

Yunyarinyi vs Poatina
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

SA vs TAS

Bracknell vs Bronte Park
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Poatina vs Bradys Lake
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Bronte Park vs Flagstaff Gully
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Bradys Lake vs Geilston Bay
9.8/10 Score 9.8/10

TAS vs TAS

Compare any two suburbs

Can't find the matchup you're looking for? Visit any suburb page and use the "Compare with another suburb" feature to build your own side-by-side comparison. We cover over 15,000 suburbs across all states and territories.

What's included in each comparison?

Every suburb comparison on WaterScore includes a complete side-by-side breakdown of key water quality indicators, so you can make informed decisions at a glance.

Overall score

A 0–10 composite rating based on ADWG guideline compliance across all measured parameters.

Hardness & minerals

Calcium carbonate, TDS, and conductivity — the key indicators of how hard or soft your water is.

Treatment chemicals

Chlorine and fluoride levels that affect taste, smell, and your daily drinking experience.

Safety & aesthetics

pH, turbidity, iron, manganese, and other parameters that affect water safety and appearance.

Why water quality varies across Australia

Australia's tap water quality is shaped by geography, climate, and infrastructure. Capital cities like Sydney and Melbourne draw from large protected catchments and invest heavily in multi-stage treatment, producing consistently high-quality water. Regional towns may rely on bore water, river extraction, or smaller treatment plants — leading to higher mineral content, more noticeable chlorine, or seasonal fluctuations after heavy rainfall.

Desalination plants in Perth and Adelaide have changed the water profile for millions of Australians. Desalinated water is typically very soft and low in minerals, which is great for appliances but can taste flat compared to dam-sourced supply. Meanwhile, areas served by the River Murray — particularly in South Australia — tend to have the hardest water in the country, with TDS levels sometimes exceeding 500 mg/L.

By comparing suburbs on WaterScore, you can see these differences quantified — not just between states, but between neighbouring suburbs served by different treatment plants or water sources. It's the clearest way to understand what's really flowing from your tap.

← Back to WaterScore Home

Disclaimer: Comparisons are for general informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional guidance. Data is sourced from Australian water utilities and may not reflect real-time conditions. For specific health concerns, consult a qualified health professional or your local water utility. See our Terms of Use.