Tap water in CB7, East CambridgeshireSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 1,113 samples, 19 substances, latest on 19 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.3 / 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 278 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.
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
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What's in a glass of CB7 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 58% of it. 16 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate58%
- Trihalomethanes12%
- Iron11%
- Fluoride9%
- Nickel8%
- Bromate7%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Nitrite6%
- Turbidity6%
- Lead4%
- Arsenic3%
- Selenium2%
- Antimony2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper2%
- Cadmium<1%
- E. coli none found
- Coliform Bacteria none found
All 19 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.021 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 11% |
| Manganese | 0.003 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 6% |
| Copper | 0.03 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.13 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 9% |
| Arsenic | 0.00025 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Cadmium | 0.00002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00076 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.00167 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 8% |
| Lead | 0.00038 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 4% |
| Antimony | 0.00008 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0122 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 12% |
| Bromate | 0.0007 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
| Turbidity | 0.22 NTU | 4 NTU | 6% |
| Nitrate | 29.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 58% |
| Nitrite | 0.03 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
278mg of limescale minerals in every litre
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 CB7
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Your river is the Ely Ouse (South Level), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Ely Ouse (South Level) 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.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
1
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 1 site. The highest was PFBA at 0.0015 µg/L, at Ducketts Farm Upware B/H, Ely Cambs., 8.4 km away, in July 2025. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Cambridge · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
CB7 in short
Tap water in CB7 (East Cambridgeshire) is supplied by Anglian Water in the East Cambridgeshire Central zone and scores 9.3 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 19 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 19 December 2024.
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 58% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- Very hard water at 278 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in CB7. How hardness is measured
- 3rd cleanest of 4 areas tested in East Cambridgeshire1 area in East Cambridgeshire scored lower. The best is CB6 on 9.4.
Questions about CB7 water
Is CB7 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, CB7 (East Cambridgeshire) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 19 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in CB7 water?
We tested 19 contaminants in CB7 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 CB7?
CB7 (East Cambridgeshire) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is CB7 water hard or soft?
Water in CB7 (East Cambridgeshire) has a hardness of 278 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 CB7?
CB7 water scored 9.3/10 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 CB7 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for CB7 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 1 river and groundwater samples from 1 sites within 10 km of CB7, the highest being PFBA at 0.0015 µg/L about 8.4 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 CB7?
The Environment Agency rated the Ely Ouse (South Level) 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. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in CB7, 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
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- 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?
- 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 explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near CB7
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 CB7.