Tap water in CB3, CambridgeSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Cambridge Water. 11,094 samples, 21 substances, latest on 31 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, nitrate, sits close to the line.
9.1 / 10
The tank is as full as the score. The specks are the minerals that make water hard.
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 330 mg/L a softener is the only thing that stops limescale. Filters do not soften water.
It pays for itself in most homes at this hardness, through a boiler that stays efficient and appliances that last.
Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis
£550typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in CB3.
Osmio PRO-III Ultimate Whole House
£499typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in CB3.
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What's in a glass of CB3 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.
Nitrate came closest to a limit, at 82% of it. 18 of 19 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate82%
- Fluoride11%
- Colour10%
- Arsenic10%
- Trihalomethanes10%
- Lead9%
- Nickel8%
- Mercury4%
- Antimony4%
- Boron4%
- Iron4%
- Manganese3%
- Aluminium3%
- Turbidity3%
- Cadmium2%
- Copper2%
- Selenium2%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- Conductivity 570 µS/cm
All 21 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 40.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 82% |
| Colour | 2 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 10% |
| Turbidity | 0.12 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Conductivity | 570 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrite | 0.004 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Aluminium | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Iron | 0.0073 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Manganese | 0.0017 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 3% |
| Copper | 0.04 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.167 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 11% |
| Arsenic | 0.001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 10% |
| Cadmium | 0.00012 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Nickel | 0.0016 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 8% |
| Lead | 0.0009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 9% |
| Antimony | 0.0002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 4% |
| Selenium | 0.0008 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Boron | 0.04 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 4% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.00981 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 10% |
330mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the CB area. CB3 has no reading of its own.
This is the water that furs up kettles
Very hard on the UK scale. It is fine to drink. It is hard on boilers, showers, skin and anything that heats water, and a jug or tap filter will not change that.
Softener quotes for CB3
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Your river is the Bin Brook, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Bin Brook 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 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
10
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 3 sites. The highest was PFPeA at 0.002 µg/L, at Bar Hill Golf Club B/H, 6.4 km away, in January 2026. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Cambridge · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
CB3 in short
Tap water in CB3 (Cambridge) is supplied by Cambridge Water in the Cambridge Central zone and scores 9.1 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. 1 of 21 tested substances was close to or over a limit. The latest sample is from 31 December 2024.
- Nitrate is within its legal limit but flagged, at 82% of the 50 mg/L maximumAnything over three quarters of a limit is flagged here as worth watching. It has not gone over. See every reading
- Among the hardest water in the country at 330 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase across the CB postcode area. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 6 areas tested in CambridgeOnly 1 area in Cambridge scored higher. The best is CB21 on 9.1. Every area in Cambridge
Questions about CB3 water
Is CB3 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, CB3 (Cambridge) water scores 9.1/10, which is safe. 1 of 21 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Cambridge Water.
What contaminants are in CB3 water?
We tested 21 contaminants in CB3 water. 1 were flagged, including Nitrate. 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 CB3?
CB3 (Cambridge) is supplied by Cambridge Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is CB3 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for CB3 itself. Across the CB postcode area the typical value is 330 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as very hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in CB3?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in CB3, a water filter could help. A reverse osmosis or activated carbon filter is recommended for PFAS removal. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in CB3 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for CB3 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 10 river and groundwater samples from 3 sites within 10 km of CB3, the highest being PFPeA at 0.002 µg/L about 6.4 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 CB3?
The Environment Agency rated the Bin Brook 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 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 CB3, 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
- Best Water Softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared, with real costs
- Do I Need a Water Softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and a postcode check
- UK Water Hardness MapIs your water hard or soft, and does it matter?
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
- Do I need a water softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and when the answer is no
- Best water softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared
- Water softener costUnit, fitting and salt, and how long the payback takes
- Installation explainedWhere it goes, the bypass tap, the drain, DIY or plumber
- Harvey vs KineticoThe two premium twin-cylinder brands, side by side
- Softener salt guideTablet, block or granular, and how much you get through
- Salt-free softenersConditioners and electronic descalers, honestly assessed
PFAS explainedNitrate levelsHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of CambridgeUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near CB3
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonia | 1.2 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| pH | 7.74 pH | None |
| Temperature | 16.7 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 700 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 0.194 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0056 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.77 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 5.41 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.006 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.0025 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0062 mg/L | None |
| Chromium | 0.0006 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
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