Tap water in BB6, HyndburnSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 2,531 samples, 16 substances, latest on 18 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.4 / 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 BB6 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 30% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes30%
- Ammonia11%
- Bromate7%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Turbidity5%
- Aluminium4%
- Nitrate4%
- Nickel4%
- Iron3%
- Selenium2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Manganese1%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 2.04 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 4% |
| Nitrite | 0.0075 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% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| 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% |
| Bromate | 0.00065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0295 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 30% |
| Aluminium | 0.00893 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Iron | 0.007 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00069 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
23mg 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 Calder - Pendle Water to conf Ribble, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Calder - Pendle Water to conf Ribble 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, water plants and algae and 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
118
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 15 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.068 µg/L, at River Darwen at Feniscliffe Bridge, 8.8 km away, in May 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Blackburn · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
BB6 in short
Tap water in BB6 (Hyndburn) is supplied by United Utilities in the Hyndburn Central zone and scores 9.4 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 18 December 2024.
- Soft water at 23 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in BB6, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- PFAS found at 15 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFOA about 8.8 km away. What was measured
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Trihalomethanes at 30% of the 0.1 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about BB6 water
Is BB6 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, BB6 (Hyndburn) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in BB6 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in BB6 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 BB6?
BB6 (Hyndburn) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is BB6 water hard or soft?
Water in BB6 (Hyndburn) has a hardness of 23 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in BB6?
BB6 water scored 9.4/10 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 BB6 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for BB6 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 118 river and groundwater samples from 15 sites within 10 km of BB6, the highest being PFOA at 0.068 µg/L about 8.8 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 BB6?
The Environment Agency rated the Calder - Pendle Water to conf Ribble 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, water plants and algae and 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 BB6, 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 kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near BB6
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 | 8.36 pH | None |
| Temperature | 6.8 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 531 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 1.4 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0078 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.034 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 12.7 mg/L | None |
| Ammonia | 0.087 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| 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 |
| Nickel | 0.00567 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
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