A NEW study into problems with the water supply across the country has found Worcester has the 10th worst record for serious issues in the country.

New analysis by water company Vidrate looks into the quality of water across the country including metrics such as the amount of hard water, the amount of fluoride in the water and the amount of "serious issues" found in water.

According to their analysis, Worcester is 10th, with issues including e-coli being found in the water.

This is using data provided by the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Ranked from worst to best based on each event’s "event risk index" (ERI) score, which is a measure designed to illustrate the risk arising from water quality events.

Worcestershire is ranked 14th in the country for the most fluoride in the water and is among the top areas for the amount of hard water.

Soft water is thought to have less of a taste, resulting in it often being the preferred choice for drinking and the best for making cups of tea and coffee.

On the other hand, minerals from hard water are said to add ‘flavour’ which some people enjoy, whilst others dislike the ‘chemical’ taste and rougher texture.

Whilst both hard and soft water are good for your health, hard water can be considered slightly better due to its mineral content, including calcium, magnesium and iron.

In fact, in certain areas of the country, it is possible to receive your recommended daily dose of such minerals just from drinking tap water, which can help protect against heart disease and strokes.

Despite the supposed high number of cases of e-coli in the water, the extensive purification of the water across the country means the risk is still low overall, and that the tap water is safe to drink the majority of the time.

To see the Drinking Water Index's full findings, go to www.vidrate.co.uk/pages/water-index