Dunstable Water: Hardness, Quality & Your Supplier

Have you recently moved to Dunstable and need to find out more about your water supply? In this guide, you will be able to find who handles the Dunstable water supply as well as wastewater services. Additionally, we will cover how to deal with Dunstable water hardness along with what to do should you encounter a problem with your water.

Dunstable Water Supplier

Dunstable's water is supplied by Affinity Water. Here are the contact details for your Dunstable water supplier:

Dunstable's sewerage and wastewater is handled by Anglian Water. Here are Dunstable sewerage and wastewater contact details:

Be aware that calls to numbers starting with 03 may be charged at local rates by your phone company.

Where does Dunstable water come from?

Affinity water gains 60% of its supply from underground chalk aquifers. When the aquifer's supply lowers in the summer months this is then supplemented with alternative water sources such as boreholes until rainwater sufficiently restocks the aquifers. Though rainwater starts as relatively soft, as it progresses through the water cycle and due to the way that water filters through rocks in Dunstable's water supply area, your water can contain minerals such as chalk, calcium, and magnesium, changing its hardness rating.

What is Dunstable's Water Hardness Rating?

Dunstable's water is rated as hard water.

Dunstable's hard water rating means that the water in your home will lead to scaling in kettles, sinks, dishwashers and toilets. Additionally, it may be less effective at tasks such as cleaning dishes or washing clothes. Here are a few simple things you can do to help combat hard water furring or scaling in Dunstable.

1. Kettles - Do not overfill your kettle with water, using only as much water as you need. Make sure that you clean your kettle by half-filling and adding two tablespoons of white vinegar, leaving it for four hours in order to loosen scale build-up. Rinse and repeat to remove scale.
2. Dishwashers - Take advantage of the built-in water softener. Make sure you regularly top off it off with dishwasher salt in the appropriate compartment.
3. Clothing - Liquid detergents should be used over powder detergents due to them being generally more effective at resisting water hardness and preventing soap scum. Additionally, you should regularly clean your washing machine by adding baking soda and white vinegar directly into the drum and setting it to a hot wash. Make sure to wipe down the drum thoroughly afterwards. This process limits and removes limescale build-up.
4. Baths, sinks and toilets - Use an acidic sanitiser regularly (available in local shops) to clean susceptible surfaces in order to clear limescale deposits.

Water Rates Dunstable

The water rates in your Dunstable will vary depending on whether your home has a water meter or not. You should be able to easily find out whether your Dunstable water rates are metered by taking a look at your water bill. Homes that have metered Dunstable water rates will have a meter number listed on their water bills.

If you've just moved in or you don't have a bill handy, you may be able to find a water meter by checking next to your water stop tap, or checking in your garden. If you can find a water meter, this would mean that your home has metered water rates.

Homes that are not metered won't have a meter number, but they will be charged in accordance with the rateable value of the home. The rateable value part of your Dunstable water rates will have been determined by the local council in the 90s and will probably not have changed much since then. This rate is subject to review every five years and takes into consideration factors such as property size, occupancy and the availability of local services to calculate a consumption value which is then applied to your water bill.

If you want to read more about water meters check out Selectra's essential guide to water meters. This guide will help you decide if a water meter is for you, and what you should do if you already have one.

The average water rates Dunstable residents are being charged result in an average water bill of around £417 a year. This amount combines both water supply and sewerage costs.

If are looking to save money on your water bill then this simple guide to water rates in the UK will give you some great tips & tricks to lower your water bill.

Can you drink the water in Dunstable?

Yes! You can drink the water in Dunstable. Dunstable water meets the highest standards to make the water safe to drink. The UK Drinking Water Inspectorate has scored Dunstable water quality a 99.96% in overall mean zonal compliance, meaning that your water is safe to drink. It is not necessary to boil or filter Dunstable water to make it potable.

If you notice a change in taste or smell of Dunstable water this may be due to one of the following reasons:

1. Chlorination helps to make sure that the water in pipe network is without contaminants, and poses no risk to health.
2. Seasonal changes can infuse Dunstable water with an earthy smell or taste. As your water sources location changes throughout the year, so too does the mineral composition of your water, which can lead to a subtly different taste.
3. Plumbing can also contribute to the taste of your household water, adding metallic, salty or rubbery hints. If for example, you have had a water pipe replaced in your home, the introduction of this new piping material could temporarily influence the flavour of your water.

If you have questions about your water's taste, smell or appearance, you should not hesitate to contact Affinity Water.

Dunstable Water Problems

The types of water problems that Dunstable experiences can range between burst water pipes, flooding, or even having no water in your home. This is why it is very important to make sure that you know who to contact and what you need to do if you experience a water problem.

If you notice a water leak or flooding outside your Dunstable property, you need to do one of the following:

1. If you aren't at home, you can contact Affinity Water or Anglian Water as appropriate via social media, or if the issue causes disruption or potential safety risk then give them a call on their emergency phone numbers which are listed under the "Contact Us" sections of their websites.
2. If you are near a computer, go to the "report a leak" section of the Affinity Water website and fill out the online form.

Dunstable No Water

If you have no water in your home, it is important to determine if the issue is related to your homes plumbing, or if it is an Affinity Water outage impacting the area.

1. Check the "In Your Area" sections of the Affinity Water website for any information explaining why you have no water. This should inform you about any existing issues, and give an approximate time that they expect the issue to be resolved.
2. Ask your neighbours whether they have the same issue as you. If they are experiencing a similar problem, then the issue likely relates to Affinity Water's supply.
3. Check that your stop tap is open.

If you have no water, is it only no cold water or no hot water? If you have cold water but no hot water, the issue will be with your home plumbing and not the water company.

If there is no cold water, not even a trickle, contact Affinity Water for assistance.

Dunstable Water Discolouration

If the water in your home is discoloured, the issue might be a Affinity Water issue impacting Dunstable.

1. Changes to the colour of the water in Dunstable may happen after a burst pipe has been repaired.
2. Or, Affinity Water could have been carrying out upgrade work on the pipes in Dunstable.
3. Water Discolouration is not harmful and can often be cleared by running the cold water tap until it becomes clear.

If there is no improvement after trying this, you can contact Affinity Water for assistance.