Tap water in B73, BirminghamSafe to drink.
Supplied by Severn Trent. 194 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 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 B73 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.
Trihalomethanes came closest to a limit, at 68% of it. 15 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes68%
- Fluoride54%
- Iron21%
- Nitrate12%
- Aluminium11%
- Nickel5%
- Colour4%
- Manganese4%
- Turbidity3%
- Lead2%
- Arsenic1%
- Antimony1%
- Copper<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Nitrite<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Selenium<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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.021 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 11% |
| Iron | 0.0416 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 21% |
| Manganese | 0.00186 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 4% |
| Colour | 0.8 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 4% |
| Turbidity | 0.12 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| pH | 8 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Conductivity | 131 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrate | 5.8 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 12% |
| Nitrite | 0.003 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.0186 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Fluoride | 0.81 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 54% |
| 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 | 0.001 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 5% |
| Lead | 0.00022 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% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0681 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 68% |
| Phosphate | 0.565 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
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
6
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 2 sites. The highest was PFecHS at 0.0027 µg/L, at Imi Witton Borehole 5 (Keane Building), 4.9 km away, in April 2026. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Birmingham · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
B73 in short
Tap water in B73 (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 19 December 2025.
- 41st cleanest of 42 areas tested in Birmingham1 area in Birmingham scored lower. The best is B2 on 9.6. Every area in Birmingham
- Trihalomethanes is the reading closest to its limit, at 68% of the 0.1 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- PFAS found at 2 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFecHS about 4.9 km away. What was measured
Questions about B73 water
Is B73 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, B73 (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 B73 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in B73 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 B73?
B73 (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 B73?
B73 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 B73 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for B73 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 6 river and groundwater samples from 2 sites within 10 km of B73, the highest being PFecHS at 0.0027 µg/L about 4.9 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 B73?
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 B73, 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 B73
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 | 0.0181 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Iron | 1.61 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 8.23 pH | None |
| Temperature | 6.9 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 672 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 3.17 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0125 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.016 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 12.8 mg/L | None |
| Ammonia | 0.059 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.0025 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0074 mg/L | None |
| Mercury | 0.000047 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.000316 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Chromium | 0.00804 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
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