Tap water in BB3, Blackburn with DarwenSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 2,769 samples, 16 substances, latest on 23 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.5 / 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 BB3 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 26% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes26%
- Ammonia11%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Nitrate5%
- Bromate5%
- Aluminium4%
- Turbidity4%
- Nickel4%
- Iron3%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Manganese<1%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadmium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| 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% |
| Turbidity | 0.16 NTU | 4 NTU | 4% |
| Aluminium | 0.00811 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Iron | 0.007 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00045 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0261 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 26% |
| Bromate | 0.00046 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Nitrate | 2.44 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 5% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
| Copper | 0.0000104 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00077 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Lead | 0.00055 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
17mg 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 Darwen - headwaters to conf Davy Field Bk, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Darwen - headwaters to conf Davy Field Bk as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life, fish and water plants and algae. 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
112
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 11 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.28 µg/L, at River Darwen Below Jack Keys Reservoir, 1.9 km away, in December 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Blackburn · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
BB3 in short
Tap water in BB3 (Blackburn with Darwen) is supplied by United Utilities in the Blackburn with Darwen Central zone and scores 9.5 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 23 December 2024.
- Soft water at 17 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in BB3, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 4 areas tested in BlackburnOnly 1 area in Blackburn scored higher. The best is BB1 on 9.6. Every area in Blackburn
- PFAS found at 11 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFOA about 1.9 km away. What was measured
Questions about BB3 water
Is BB3 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, BB3 (Blackburn with Darwen) water scores 9.5/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in BB3 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in BB3 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 BB3?
BB3 (Blackburn with Darwen) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is BB3 water hard or soft?
Water in BB3 (Blackburn with Darwen) has a hardness of 17 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in BB3?
BB3 water scored 9.5/10 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 BB3 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for BB3 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 112 river and groundwater samples from 11 sites within 10 km of BB3, the highest being PFOA at 0.28 µg/L about 1.9 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 BB3?
The Environment Agency rated the Darwen - headwaters to conf Davy Field Bk as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life, fish and water plants and algae. 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 BB3, 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 BB3
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 |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 8.15 pH | None |
| Temperature | 9.5 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 390 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.062 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 0.79 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0059 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.012 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 11.3 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.000502 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00138 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Nickel | 0.0021 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Mercury | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L |
| Aluminium | 0.045 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for BB3.