Tap water in B72, BirminghamSafe to drink.
Supplied by Severn Trent. 66 samples, 7 substances, latest on 25 November 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.6 / 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 B72 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.
Iron came closest to a limit, at 6% of it. 5 of 5 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Iron6%
- Aluminium5%
- Colour4%
- Turbidity3%
- Manganese2%
- pH 8.51 pH
- Conductivity 207 µS/cm
Your river is the Plants Brook Catchment (trib of Tame), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Plants Brook Catchment (trib of Tame) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by phosphate. 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
51
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 5 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.025 µg/L, at River Tame - Downstream Minworth STW Bacteria Beds, 8.9 km away, in November 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Birmingham · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
B72 in short
Tap water in B72 (Birmingham) is supplied by Severn Trent in the Birmingham Central zone and scores 9.6 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 7 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 25 November 2025.
- 2nd cleanest of 42 areas tested in BirminghamOnly 1 area in Birmingham scored higher. The best is B2 on 9.6. Every area in Birmingham
- 0.6 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
- PFAS found at 5 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was 6:2 FTSA about 8.9 km away. What was measured
Questions about B72 water
Is B72 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, B72 (Birmingham) water scores 9.6/10, which is safe. 0 of 7 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.
What contaminants are in B72 water?
We tested 7 contaminants in B72 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 B72?
B72 (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 B72?
B72 water scored 9.6/10 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 B72 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for B72 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 51 river and groundwater samples from 5 sites within 10 km of B72, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.025 µg/L about 8.9 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 B72?
The Environment Agency rated the Plants Brook Catchment (trib of Tame) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by phosphate. 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 B72, 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 B72
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 | 8.02 pH | None |
| Temperature | 11.2 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 624 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 4.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.028 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.08 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 10.4 mg/L | None |
| Ammonia | 0.044 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.0025 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0074 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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