Tap water in CM5, Epping ForestSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Affinity Water. 247 samples, 11 substances, latest on 26 November 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.5 / 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 338 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
We earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we put first. How we make money
What's in a glass of CM5 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 21% of it. 8 of 8 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate21%
- Ammonia12%
- Colour10%
- Iron4%
- Turbidity3%
- Nitrite2%
- Aluminium<1%
- Manganese<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 752 µS/cm
All 11 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.00897 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Ammonia | 0.06 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 12% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Nitrite | 0.01 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Aluminium | 0.00199 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 10.3 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 21% |
| Colour | 2 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 10% |
| Manganese | 0.000367 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Turbidity | 0.1 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Conductivity | 752 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
338mg 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 CM5
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Your river is the Upper Roding (to Cripsey Brook), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Upper Roding (to Cripsey 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 water plants and algae. 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
CM5 in short
Tap water in CM5 (Epping Forest) is supplied by Affinity Water in the Epping Forest Central zone and scores 9.5 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 11 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 26 November 2025.
- The cleanest tap water of the 6 areas tested in Epping ForestCM5 scores 9.5 out of 10, ahead of RM4 in second place on 9.5.
- Among the hardest water in the country at 338 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in CM5. How hardness is measured
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Nitrate at 21% of the 50 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about CM5 water
Is CM5 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, CM5 (Epping Forest) water scores 9.5/10, which is safe. 0 of 11 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Affinity Water.
What contaminants are in CM5 water?
We tested 11 contaminants in CM5 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in CM5?
CM5 (Epping Forest) is supplied by Affinity Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is CM5 water hard or soft?
Water in CM5 (Epping Forest) has a hardness of 338 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 CM5?
CM5 water scored 9.5/10 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 CM5 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for CM5, 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 CM5?
The Environment Agency rated the Upper Roding (to Cripsey 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 water plants and algae. 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 CM5, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- 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?
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- 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
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near CM5
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 |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.91 pH | None |
| Temperature | 17.1 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 1171 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 24 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.051 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 7.76 mg/L | None |
| Ammonia | 0.085 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.2 mg/L | None |
| Zinc | 0.06 mg/L | None |
| Copper | 0.006 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Manganese | 0.03 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Iron | 0.08 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for CM5.