Tap water in B23, BirminghamSafe to drink.
Supplied by Severn Trent. 1,094 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.2 / 10
The tank is as full as the score.
What to do about it
ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour
£40typical price
Households concerned about PFAS and heavy metals
Waterdrop 10UA Under Sink
£70typical price
High-volume under-sink filtration without RO complexity
BRITA Marella XL + MAXTRA PRO
£25typical price
Basic chlorine and taste improvement on a budget
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What's in a glass of B23 water
Every bubble is a substance the lab measured. The higher it floats, the closer it came to its legal limit, the dashed line at the top.
Fluoride came closest to a limit, at 51% of it. 15 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Fluoride51%
- Trihalomethanes25%
- Iron21%
- Nitrate12%
- Aluminium11%
- Nickel6%
- Colour4%
- Manganese4%
- Turbidity3%
- Arsenic1%
- Lead1%
- Antimony1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Nitrite<1%
- Selenium<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- pH 8 pH
- Conductivity 131 µS/cm
- Phosphate 0.565 mg/L
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 0.00186 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 4% |
| Copper | 0.0125 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Fluoride | 0.76 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 51% |
| Arsenic | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Cadmium | 0.00001 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00042 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.0011 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 6% |
| Lead | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Antimony | 0.000059 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Selenium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | <1% |
| pH | 8 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrate | 5.8 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 12% |
| Nitrite | 0.003 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Aluminium | 0.021 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 11% |
| Iron | 0.0416 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 21% |
| Colour | 0.8 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 4% |
| Turbidity | 0.12 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Conductivity | 131 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0255 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 25% |
| Phosphate | 0.565 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
Your river is the Tame - conf two arms to R Rea, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Tame - conf two arms to R Rea as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish, insects and other small river life and ammonia. It fails the chemical test, as every river, estuary and stretch of coast in England does, because of long-lasting pollutants such as mercury, PFOS (a forever chemical) and old flame retardants.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
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forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 4 sites. The highest was PFHxS (linear) at 0.0094 µg/L, at Sandwell Park Golf Club Borehole, West Bromwich, 8.2 km away, in September 2025. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Birmingham · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
B23 in short
Tap water in B23 (Birmingham) is supplied by Severn Trent in the Birmingham Central zone and scores 9.2 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 20 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 19 December 2025.
- Fluoride is the reading closest to its limit, at 51% of the 1.5 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 30th cleanest of 42 areas tested in Birmingham12 areas in Birmingham scored lower. The best is B2 on 9.6. Every area in Birmingham
- PFAS found at 4 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFHxS (linear) about 8.2 km away. What was measured
Questions about B23 water
Is B23 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, B23 (Birmingham) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.
What contaminants are in B23 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in B23 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels. PFAS (forever chemicals) were also measured in rivers and groundwater within 10 km, though not in the tap-water tests themselves.
Who supplies water in B23?
B23 (Birmingham) is supplied by Severn Trent. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Should I use a water filter in B23?
B23 water scored 9.2/10 with no contaminants above recommended levels. A filter is optional but can improve taste, especially if you notice a chlorine flavour. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in B23 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for B23 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 34 river and groundwater samples from 4 sites within 10 km of B23, the highest being PFHxS (linear) at 0.0094 µg/L about 8.2 km away. These are environmental samples, not tests of tap water. The UK currently has no legal limit for PFAS in drinking water; the Drinking Water Inspectorate uses a 0.1 µg/L guideline for individual compounds. Reverse osmosis filters can reduce PFAS levels.
How clean is the river near B23?
The Environment Agency rated the Tame - conf two arms to R Rea as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish, insects and other small river life and ammonia. It fails the chemical test, as every river, estuary and stretch of coast in England does, because of long-lasting pollutants such as mercury, PFOS (a forever chemical) and old flame retardants. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in B23, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- Best Filter for PFAS RemovalThe filters with independent certification to remove forever chemicals
- PFAS Forever ChemicalsWhat PFAS are and how to reduce your exposure at home
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of BirminghamUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near B23
Environment Agency samples from rivers, groundwater and reservoirs nearby. Not your tap water. For scale they are shown against drinking water limits; rivers are judged against much stricter environmental standards, and on those every river in England fails for chemicals.
| Substance | Reading | Drinking water limit |
|---|---|---|
| Nickel | 0.0274 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| pH | 8.04 pH | None |
| Temperature | 7.5 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 1001 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.21 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 8.6 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.084 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.06 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 10.3 mg/L | None |
| Copper | 0.0051 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0583 mg/L | None |
| Cadmium | 0.00013 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 334 mg/L | None |
| Chromium | 0.0053 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Arsenic | 0.0024 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
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