Tap water in CA4, CumberlandSafe to drink.Moderately soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 1,876 samples, 16 substances, latest on 17 December 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 CA4 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.
Ammonia came closest to a limit, at 6% of it. 16 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Ammonia6%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Bromate5%
- Turbidity5%
- Nitrate5%
- Nickel4%
- Iron3%
- Aluminium3%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Manganese<1%
- Copper<1%
- Trihalomethanes0%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| 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% |
| Aluminium | 0.00622 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Iron | 0.007 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00045 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.00054 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0 mg/L | 0.1 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% |
100mg 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 Pow Maughan Beck, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Pow Maughan Beck 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
CA4 in short
Tap water in CA4 (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 16 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 17 December 2024.
- 3rd cleanest of 25 areas tested in CumberlandOnly 2 areas in Cumberland scored higher. The best is CA18 on 9.7.
- Scores higher than all 10 neighbouring districtsThe nearest rival is CA1 on 9.5, against 9.7 here. Compare with CA1
- 0.7 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
Questions about CA4 water
Is CA4 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, CA4 (Cumberland) water scores 9.7/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in CA4 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in CA4 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in CA4?
CA4 (Cumberland) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is CA4 water hard or soft?
Water in CA4 (Cumberland) has a hardness of 100 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately soft. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in CA4?
CA4 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 CA4 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for CA4, 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 river near CA4?
The Environment Agency rated the Pow Maughan Beck 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in CA4, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
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- Best Water Filter Jug UKBRITA vs ZeroWater vs the rest, tested against real data
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River and groundwater readings near CA4
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 CA4.