Tap water in B5, BirminghamSafe to drink.
Supplied by Severn Trent. 652 samples, 20 substances, latest on 17 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
8.9 / 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 B5 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.
Nickel came closest to a limit, at 54% of it. 14 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nickel54%
- Fluoride49%
- Trihalomethanes34%
- Nitrate12%
- Aluminium11%
- Iron5%
- Colour4%
- Turbidity3%
- Lead2%
- Manganese2%
- Arsenic1%
- Antimony1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- Nitrite<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Selenium<1%
- pH 8.09 pH
- Conductivity 134 µS/cm
- Phosphate 0.58 mg/L
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.0109 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Manganese | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| pH | 8.09 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Aluminium | 0.021 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 11% |
| Colour | 0.8 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 4% |
| Turbidity | 0.12 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Conductivity | 134 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0337 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 34% |
| Copper | 0.0164 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Fluoride | 0.74 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 49% |
| Arsenic | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Cadmium | 0.00002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00042 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.0108 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 54% |
| Lead | 0.00021 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.000059 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Selenium | 0.00007 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 5.8 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 12% |
| Nitrite | 0.003 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Phosphate | 0.58 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
Your river is the Rea from Bourn Brook to River Tame, rated bad
The Environment Agency rated the Rea from Bourn Brook to River Tame as bad for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is severely damaged, with most of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by insects and other small river life, water plants and algae 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. Its ecological rating has dropped since the previous assessment.
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, 7.0 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
B5 in short
Tap water in B5 (Birmingham) is supplied by Severn Trent in the Birmingham Central zone and scores 8.9 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 17 December 2025.
- 40th cleanest of 42 areas tested in Birmingham2 areas in Birmingham scored lower. The best is B2 on 9.6. Every area in Birmingham
- Nickel is the reading closest to its limit, at 54% of the 0.02 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- PFAS found at 4 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFHxS (linear) about 7 km away. What was measured
Questions about B5 water
Is B5 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, B5 (Birmingham) water scores 8.9/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.
What contaminants are in B5 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in B5 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 B5?
B5 (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 B5?
B5 water scored 8.9/10 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 B5 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for B5 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 34 river and groundwater samples from 4 sites within 10 km of B5, the highest being PFHxS (linear) at 0.0094 µg/L about 7 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 B5?
The Environment Agency rated the Rea from Bourn Brook to River Tame as bad for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is severely damaged, with most of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by insects and other small river life, water plants and algae 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. Its ecological rating has dropped since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in B5, 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 B5
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cadmium | 0.02 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| pH | 7.9 pH | None |
| Mercury | 0.0000116 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L |
| Temperature | 6.5 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 522 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 2.56 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0296 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.054 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 11.4 mg/L | None |
| Chromium | 0.00118 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.013 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.00328 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Aluminium | 0.0128 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.0048 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| PFAS (total) | 0.0193 µg/L | None |
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