Tap water in BB1, Blackburn with DarwenSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 3,949 samples, 16 substances, latest on 20 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.6 / 10
The tank is as full as the score. The specks are the minerals that make water hard.
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 BB1 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 15% of it. 16 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes15%
- Iron7%
- Ammonia6%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Turbidity5%
- Nitrate5%
- Bromate5%
- Nickel4%
- Aluminium3%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Manganese<1%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0.00055 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Cadmium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Aluminium | 0.00622 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Iron | 0.014 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 7% |
| Manganese | 0.00045 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.00085 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Copper | 0.0000104 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00077 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Nitrate | 2.44 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 5% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.0321 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0153 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 15% |
| Bromate | 0.00047 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
39mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Soft water. Kind to kettles, boilers and skin
You will not need a softener here, and you will use less soap and detergent than most of England.
Your river is the Blakewater, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Blakewater 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, organic pollution (bod) and insects and other small river life. 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
134
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 17 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.28 µg/L, at River Darwen Below Jack Keys Reservoir, 8.3 km away, in December 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Preston · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
BB1 in short
Tap water in BB1 (Blackburn with Darwen) is supplied by United Utilities in the Blackburn with Darwen Central zone and scores 9.6 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 16 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 20 December 2024.
- The cleanest tap water of the 4 areas tested in BlackburnBB1 scores 9.6 out of 10, ahead of BB3 in second place on 9.5. Every area in Blackburn
- Scores higher than all 4 neighbouring districtsThe nearest rival is BB3 on 9.5, against 9.6 here. Compare with BB3
- Soft water at 39 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in BB1, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
Questions about BB1 water
Is BB1 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, BB1 (Blackburn with Darwen) water scores 9.6/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in BB1 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in BB1 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 BB1?
BB1 (Blackburn with Darwen) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is BB1 water hard or soft?
Water in BB1 (Blackburn with Darwen) has a hardness of 39 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in BB1?
BB1 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 BB1 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for BB1 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 134 river and groundwater samples from 17 sites within 10 km of BB1, the highest being PFOA at 0.28 µg/L about 8.3 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 BB1?
The Environment Agency rated the Blakewater 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, organic pollution (bod) and insects and other small river life. 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 BB1, 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 BlackburnUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near BB1
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0.0107 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Manganese | 0.182 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Iron | 2.24 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 8.71 pH | None |
| Temperature | 9.2 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 469 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.057 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 0.81 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.013 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.023 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 12.8 mg/L | None |
| Mercury | 0.000041 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.000235 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Chromium | 0.00216 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0236 mg/L | None |
| Arsenic | 0.00204 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.0103 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
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