Tap water in CA18, CumberlandSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 140 samples, 14 substances, latest on 15 October 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.7 / 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 CA18 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 14% of it. 14 of 14 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Iron14%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Aluminium5%
- Turbidity4%
- Nickel4%
- Bromate3%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Manganese1%
- Copper<1%
- Trihalomethanes0%
All 14 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.00913 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Iron | 0.0277 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 14% |
| Manganese | 0.0006 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| 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 | 0.00034 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Turbidity | 0.16 NTU | 4 NTU | 4% |
| Lead | 0.00055 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.00077 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Copper | 0.0000104 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
8mg 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 estuary is the Esk (W), rated good
The Environment Agency rated the Esk (W) as good for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is only slightly changed from its natural state. 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
CA18 in short
Tap water in CA18 (Cumberland) is supplied by United Utilities in the Cumberland Central zone and scores 9.7 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 14 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 15 October 2024.
- The cleanest tap water of the 25 areas tested in CumberlandCA18 scores 9.7 out of 10, ahead of CA19 in second place on 9.7.
- Soft water at 8 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in CA18, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- 0.7 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
Questions about CA18 water
Is CA18 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, CA18 (Cumberland) water scores 9.7/10, which is safe. 0 of 14 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in CA18 water?
We tested 14 contaminants in CA18 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in CA18?
CA18 (Cumberland) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is CA18 water hard or soft?
Water in CA18 (Cumberland) has a hardness of 8 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in CA18?
CA18 water scored 9.7/10 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 CA18 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for CA18, and the Environment Agency has no PFAS detections in rivers or groundwater within 10 km of it. That reflects where sampling has happened as much as the water itself.
How clean is the estuary near CA18?
The Environment Agency rated the Esk (W) as good for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is only slightly changed from its natural state. 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 estuary, not of tap water in CA18, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- 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
- How to Test Your Tap WaterFrom DIY strips to professional lab analysis
- Best Water Filter Jug UKBRITA vs ZeroWater vs the rest, tested against real data
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near CA18
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.
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for CA18.