Birmingham is an exceptional place for plenty of reasons, and as the UK’s second-largest city, it’s famed for its diverse cultural, musical, and manufacturing history. But one of the area’s best-kept secrets is the Birmingham tap water. It's not something you’ll usually see on any tourism material, but it’s something the city’s residents and visitors are only too aware of. But what exactly does Birmingham tap water taste like – and why does it differ from other regions?

The unlikely source of Birmingham tap water

Unusually for a city, especially one the size of Birmingham, the tap water doesn’t come from a local source. Astonishingly, Birmingham water doesn't even come from the West Midlands. The truth is that Severn Trent Water delivers Birmingham tap water from the reservoirs in the Elan Valley, more than 70 miles away in the heart of Wales.

The Elan Valley reservoirs were built in the late 1800s to supply clean water to Birmingham to help fight typhoid, cholera, and dysentery, which were rife during the Industrial Revolution. The natural environment of the Elan Valley, with its low levels of pollution and natural filtration through the landscape, is key to the fresh and clean taste of Birmingham tap water. The long journey the water takes from this Welsh valley helps maintain its purity and soft quality and still serves the city today. 

What does the Birmingham water taste like?

Making the journey from Wales to Birmingham via tunnels and aqueducts, the tap water is renowned for its purity. Thanks to natural filtration, as the water goes between layers of rock and soil before reaching the reservoir, the water is soft. But unlike other water sources, the water delivered from Wales needs very little treatment, so it keeps its natural taste.

The taste of Birmingham water is often described as clean and fresh. Because it comes from a soft water source, it contains fewer minerals, including calcium and magnesium, which gives it a smoother texture and less metallic taste. Compared to hard water areas, Birmingham tap water is less "chalky," a common issue in areas with high mineral content. Find out more about water hardness.

The safety of Birmingham tap water

As with all water making its way into homes and businesses across the UK, Birmingham water is rigorously treated so it continuously meets the high standards set by UK water regulations. Water companies, including Severn Trent Water, always test for bacteria, chemicals, and pollutants to guarantee it’s safe to drink for everyone. 

And because Birmingham tap water is classed as soft, it’s also better for your household appliances, like kettles, boilers, irons, and hot water dispensers. Soft water has fewer minerals, reducing limescale build-up in pipework and heating elements, which is more common in hard water areas.

Advanced filtration from Thirsty Work

While Birmingham tap water already tastes great, if you're looking to improve it even further, a Thirsty Work mains-fed water coolercan help you. With an advanced filtration system built-in, each cooler can remove even more trace elements that might be found, even after going through the water’s treatment and filtration process, to give you an even purer taste straight from the tap. 

To find out more about our mains-fed water cooler range, installed and delivered by us for your home or office directly from our Walsall depot, speak to our customer service team today. Call 01392 877 172 or email hello@thirstywork.com for your free quote or to start your no-obligation, 10-day free trial so you can try it for yourself.