Which Australian city has the best and worst tap water for your skin and hair (Study)

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Which Australian city has the best and worst tap water for your skin and hair (Study)

Earlier in my career, I worked in drinking water testing for the local government, tracing water from its source through treatment and into the tap.

One thing that stays with me is how different water can be across regions, even from within the same state, and in some cases, differences can be found at two ends of the same street.

In Australia, we're fortunate to have safe drinking water, but "safe" doesn't mean identical.

And it doesn't always behave the same way on our skin and hair.

That experience is part of what led us to develop the PhycoHealth Tap Water Skin & Hair Health Index, a ranking of Australia's capital cities by the impact of their tap water on skin and hair health, drawn from official annual water quality reports published by each state's water utility and the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG).

Rank City State Hardness Range City Avg Classification Skin & Hair
1 Hobart TAS 5–34 mg/L ~10 mg/L Very Soft ★★★★★
2 Melbourne VIC 15–29 mg/L ~18 mg/L Very Soft ★★★★★
3 Sydney NSW 30–58 mg/L ~43 mg/L Soft ★★★★★
4 Canberra ACT ~43 mg/L ~43 mg/L Soft ★★★★★
5 Brisbane QLD 53–115 mg/L ~81 mg/L Mod. Hard ★★★★★
6 Adelaide SA 90–133 mg/L ~100 mg/L Mod. Hard ★★★★★
7 Perth WA 29–228 mg/L ~96 mg/L Mod. Hard ★★★★★


Ratings reflect hardness as the primary factor, with disinfectant type and dosing as secondary considerations. All cities meet Australian Drinking Water Guidelines safety standards. Source data: state utility annual water quality reports (see full source list below).

City by city: what your water is doing to your skin and hair

1. Hobart, TAS | ~10 mg/L | Very Soft | ★★★★★

Hobart has the softest tap water of any Australian capital, supplied by TasWater from protected mountain catchments. With an average of around 10 mg/L, the mineral load is negligible, significantly below the soft water threshold of 60 mg/L.

For skin and hair, this is as good as it gets from the tap. Cleansers lather freely, mineral residue is minimal, and the skin barrier faces little additional stress from the water itself. Tasmania's cooler climate also means lower chlorine requirements than warmer mainland cities, reducing the disinfectant load on skin.

For Hobart residents: Your water is genuinely among the best in the country. Focus your routine on high-quality products rather than compensating for water quality.

2. Melbourne, VIC | 15–29 mg/L | Very Soft | ★★★★★

Melbourne's legendary tap water reputation is well-earned. Water is supplied from the Yarra Ranges protected mountain catchments by Melbourne Water which means metro Melbourne averages just 18 mg/L, the softest of any major mainland Australian city. Even the hardest metro zone (Eltham, at 29 mg/L) sits well below the soft water threshold.

The exception is the outer zones managed by Greater Western Water which can reach up to 100 mg/L in areas like Gisborne and Macedon, it’s worth checking if you live on Melbourne's fringe.

For most Melbourne residents, water hardness is simply not a skin or hair concern. The primary variable is chloramine which is used in some supply zones and is more persistent than chlorine and can affect sensitive skin over time.

For Melbourne residents: Your water is working in your favour. If you have sensitive or reactive skin, shower filters designed to remove chloramine are worth considering. Otherwise, a routine built around barrier-supporting ingredients like the marine-derived minerals and antioxidants found in Phyco Health's formulations will work with your naturally soft water rather than against it.

3. Sydney, NSW | 30–58 mg/L | Soft | ★★★★☆

Sydney's water, sourced from Warragamba Dam and five major surface catchments, averages around 43 mg/L across 13 supply zones, comfortably within the soft classification. The hardest zone is Orchard Hills at 57.7 mg/L (serving Penrith, St Marys, and Kingswood), while the softest is the Nepean system at 30.5 mg/L.

Hardness is not a primary skin concern for Sydney residents. The more relevant factor is chloramine, which Sydney Water uses across parts of its network as a disinfectant. Unlike chlorine, chloramine doesn't dissipate easily and isn't removed by standard carbon shower filters, a consideration for those with sensitive or eczema-prone skin.

For Sydney residents: For most people, the water is genuinely fine. If you have reactive or eczema-prone skin, look for a shower filter specifically rated for chloramine removal, and support your skin barrier with ceramide or niacinamide-based moisturisers after showering.

4. Canberra, ACT | ~43 mg/L | Soft | ★★★★☆

Icon Water explicitly states on its own website that "Canberra's water is defined as soft, containing approximately 43 mg/L CaCO₃", sourced from the Corin, Bendora, and Googong reservoirs. It's one of the most clearly documented hardness figures of any Australian capital.

At 43 mg/L, Canberra's water presents minimal hardness-related risk to skin and hair. Chlorine is used as the primary disinfectant at standard dosing levels. Canberra's dry climate, however, can compound the drying effect of showering, making skin barrier support particularly important in the colder months.

For Canberra residents: Your water is soft and straightforward. The main skin challenge in Canberra is climate rather than chemistry, we recommend prioritising rich, occlusive moisturisers in winter and look for barrier-repairing ingredients like those found in seaweed extracts, which are naturally mineral-rich and hydrating.

5. Brisbane, QLD | 53–115 mg/L | Moderately Hard | ★★★☆☆

Brisbane presents one of the most variable water profiles of any Australian capital. Seqwater supplies the city from two main treatment systems, Mt Crosby (serving most of inner Brisbane and metro areas) at around 114.8 mg/L, and North Pine (serving northern suburbs including Moreton Bay) at around 53 mg/L. Depending on your postcode, your experience of Brisbane's water can be meaningfully different.

At the higher end, inner-city and western suburbs in Brisbane's water is approaching moderately hard, and the daily mineral load on skin and hair is noticeable. Regular exposure can contribute to dullness, soap scum residue, and mild skin dryness, particularly in those with sensitive skin.

For Brisbane residents: It's worth checking which treatment zone serves your address, Seqwater's website and waterscore.com.au both provide suburb-level data. If you're in an inner or western suburb, a chelating shampoo used weekly will help prevent mineral build-up on the hair shaft. A lightweight barrier moisturiser with niacinamide can help counteract the mild drying effect on skin.

6. Adelaide, SA | 90–133 mg/L | Moderately Hard | ★★☆☆☆

Adelaide's water comes from a mix of River Murray, groundwater, and desalination, a combination that results in moderately hard water averaging around 100 mg/L across the metro area, with variation by supply zone. SA Water's online drinking water profile tool allows residents to check hardness at a suburb level, making Adelaide one of the easier cities to verify locally.

At 100+ mg/L, Adelaide residents are washing daily in water that exerts a meaningful daily mineral load on skin and hair. This sits in the range where research begins to document consistent drying effects on the skin barrier and visible effects on hair texture, particularly for those with fine, coloured, or chemically treated hair.

"Hard water leaves a microscopic mineral film on the skin after every shower," Dr Winberg notes. "For people dealing with eczema, psoriasis, or dry skin, living in a hard water city is like quietly working against your own skincare routine, every single day."

For Adelaide residents: A chelating shampoo used once or twice a week is one of the most effective interventions for hair, specifically designed to bind and remove mineral deposits from the hair shaft. For skin, barrier-repair products with ceramides, niacinamide, or seaweed-derived minerals help restore what harder water disrupts. SA Water's drinking water profile tool at sawater.com.au allows you to look up your suburb's specific hardness figure.

7. Perth, WA | 29–228 mg/L | Moderately Hard (city average ~96 mg/L) | ★★☆☆☆

Perth has the most variable tap water and in many areas, the hardest tap water of any Australian capital.

The city-wide average of approximately 96 mg/L places it in the moderately hard category, but that average conceals dramatic suburb-by-suburb variation driven by Perth's complex water supply mix, approximately 44% groundwater from the Gnangara Mound, 36% desalinated seawater, and 18% surface water from dams.

The groundwater-supplied northern suburbs carry the highest mineral loads. Two Rocks measures approximately 228 mg/L and Yanchep around 204 mg/L,  both exceeding the ADWG aesthetic guideline of 200 mg/L. Meanwhile, southern and hills suburbs supplied by surface dams can sit as low as 29 mg/L.

For residents in Perth's harder zones, the daily skin and hair impact is real and cumulative. Mineral film on the skin, reduced soap lather, visible limescale on showerheads, and hair that feels coated or looks dull are all common experiences particularly in northern suburbs.

"Once you know what's coming out of your tap, protecting your skin and hair is straightforward," says Dr Winberg. "If you're in Perth or Adelaide, a chelating shampoo once a week and a barrier-repair moisturiser with ceramides or niacinamide will make a real difference."

For Perth residents: First, check your suburb's hardness figure, Water Corporation's website and waterscore.com.au both provide locality-level data. In harder northern suburbs, a whole-home or under-sink filter with softening capacity can make a meaningful difference. For daily maintenance, a chelating shampoo weekly, a mineral-rich conditioner, and a ceramide or seaweed-based barrier moisturiser are the most evidence-backed interventions. 

The disinfectant factor - chlorine and chloramine

Water hardness is the primary variable in this index, but it isn't the only one. Every Australian capital disinfects its drinking water mostly with chlorine, and some with chloramine.

Chlorine dissipates relatively quickly from water, particularly in warm conditions, and is removed by most standard carbon shower filters. At the concentrations used in Australian drinking water, it's safe to drink, but with daily skin contact it can contribute to dryness and irritation, particularly in those with sensitive skin or compromised skin barriers.

Chloramine (used in parts of Sydney's and Melbourne's networks) is more chemically stable than chlorine, it doesn't dissipate with heat or time, and isn't removed by standard carbon filters. For residents with sensitive, eczema-prone, or reactive skin, chloramine presents a more persistent daily challenge than chlorine.

What you can do about it

Understanding your city's water is the first step. Here's the practical toolkit, by situation:

If you're in Perth (harder suburbs) or Adelaide:

  • Use a chelating shampoo weekly, specifically formulated to bind and remove calcium and magnesium mineral deposits from the hair shaft

  • Apply a ceramide or niacinamide-rich moisturiser after every shower while skin is still slightly damp

  • Look for skincare with barrier-repairing marine minerals, seaweed extracts are naturally rich in the minerals and bioactives that support the skin's lipid layer

  • Consider a shower filter with softening capacity for the most affected zones

If you're in Brisbane (inner/western suburbs):

  • A chelating shampoo weekly will address the mineral load at the higher end of Brisbane's range

  • A lightweight, barrier-supportive moisturiser with niacinamide or phyluronic acid will help maintain skin hydration

If you're in Sydney or Canberra:

  • Hardness is not your primary concern, focus on chloramine or chlorine removal if you have sensitive skin

  • A shower filter specifically rated for chloramine (not all filters remove it) is a worthwhile upgrade

  • Support your skin barrier with a good moisturiser applied post-shower

If you're in Melbourne or Hobart:

  • Your water is genuinely working in your favour

  • Invest in high-quality products rather than compensating for water, your skin and hair are absorbing significantly less mineral and disinfectant load than residents in harder water cities

  • In Melbourne's outer zones (Gisborne, Macedon), check your local hardness figure, as Greater Western Water zones can reach 100 mg/L


About the data

The PhycoHealth Tap Water Skin & Hair Health Index draws on publicly available data from the following official government and utility sources:

Hardness classifications follow ADWG thresholds: Very Soft (<30 mg/L), Soft (30–60 mg/L), Moderately Hard (60–200 mg/L), Hard (>200 mg/L). City averages are composites across supply zones. Within-city variation is significant in Perth and Brisbane, suburb-level data is available from each utility and at waterscore.com.au.

Darwin (NT) was excluded from the ranked index. While Power and Water Corporation publishes annual drinking water quality reports, a confirmed hardness figure for Darwin's urban supply could not be independently verified from primary source data at time of publication. Darwin will be incorporated in future updates.

Skin and hair impact assessments are informed by peer-reviewed research including:

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