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tapwater
England and Wales average 9.0

Tap water in DE12, South DerbyshireSafe to drink.

Supplied by Severn Trent. 480 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.

See the filter we recommendSee everything that was tested

8.7 / 10

The tank is as full as the score.

What to do about it

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Basic chlorine and taste improvement on a budget

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What's in a glass of DE12 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.

Lead came closest to a limit, at 49% of it. 14 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.

0%25%50%75%limitLegal limitCadmium: 0.00003 mg/L, <1% of the 0.005 mg/L limitCadmium<1%Chromium: 0.00042 mg/L, <1% of the 0.05 mg/L limitChromium<1%Selenium: 0.00039 mg/L, <1% of the 0.04 mg/L limitSelenium<1%Manganese: 0.00073 mg/L, 1% of the 0.05 mg/L limitManganese1%Arsenic: 0.00023 mg/L, 2% of the 0.01 mg/L limitArsenic2%Nitrite: 0.013 mg/L, 3% of the 0.5 mg/L limitNitrite3%Turbidity: 0.12 NTU, 3% of the 4 NTU limitTurbidity3%Copper: 0.0602 mg/L, 3% of the 2 mg/L limitCopper3%Antimony: 0.000174 mg/L, 3% of the 0.005 mg/L limitAntimony3%Iron: 0.0104 mg/L, 5% of the 0.2 mg/L limitIron5%Aluminium: 0.021 mg/L, 11% of the 0.2 mg/L limitAluminium11%Fluoride: 0.18 mg/L, 12% of the 1.5 mg/L limitFluoride12%Colour: 2.7 mg/L Pt/Co, 14% of the 20 mg/L Pt/Co limitColour14%Nickel: 0.0031 mg/L, 16% of the 0.02 mg/L limitNickel16%Nitrate: 13.2 mg/L, 26% of the 50 mg/L limitNitrate26%Trihalomethanes: 0.0385 mg/L, 39% of the 0.1 mg/L limitTrihalomethanes39%Lead: 0.00493 mg/L, 49% of the 0.01 mg/L limitLead49%
  1. Lead49%
  2. Trihalomethanes39%
  3. Nitrate26%
  4. Nickel16%
  5. Colour14%
  6. Fluoride12%
  7. Aluminium11%
  8. Iron5%
  9. Antimony3%
  10. Copper3%
  11. Turbidity3%
  12. Nitrite3%
  13. Arsenic2%
  14. Manganese1%
  15. Selenium<1%
  16. Chromium<1%
  17. Cadmium<1%
  • pH 7.44 pH
  • Conductivity 467 µS/cm
  • Phosphate 0.987 mg/L
All 20 results as a table
SubstanceResultLegal limitShare of limit
Copper0.0602 mg/L2 mg/L
3%
Fluoride0.18 mg/L1.5 mg/L
12%
Arsenic0.00023 mg/L0.01 mg/L
2%
Cadmium0.00003 mg/L0.005 mg/L
<1%
Colour2.7 mg/L Pt/Co20 mg/L Pt/Co
14%
Turbidity0.12 NTU4 NTU
3%
Chromium0.00042 mg/L0.05 mg/L
<1%
Nickel0.0031 mg/L0.02 mg/L
16%
Aluminium0.021 mg/L0.2 mg/L
11%
Iron0.0104 mg/L0.2 mg/L
5%
Manganese0.00073 mg/L0.05 mg/L
1%
Lead0.00493 mg/L0.01 mg/L
49%
Antimony0.000174 mg/L0.005 mg/L
3%
Selenium0.00039 mg/L0.04 mg/L
<1%
Nitrate13.2 mg/L50 mg/L
26%
Nitrite0.013 mg/L0.5 mg/L
3%
pH7.44 pHNo legal limit–
Conductivity467 µS/cmNo legal limit–
Trihalomethanes0.0385 mg/L0.1 mg/L
39%
Phosphate0.987 mg/LNo legal limit–
Outside your tap

Your river is the Hooborough Brook from Source to River Mease, rated poor

The Environment Agency rated the Hooborough Brook from Source to River Mease as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by fish, water plants and algae and 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 dropped since the previous assessment.

None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England

DE12 in short

Tap water in DE12 (South Derbyshire) is supplied by Severn Trent in the South Derbyshire Central zone and scores 8.7 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 20 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 19 December 2025.

  • The lowest score of the 4 areas tested in South DerbyshireDE12 scores 8.7 out of 10. The best in South Derbyshire, DE65, scores 9.5.
  • Every one of the 3 neighbouring districts scores higherDE65 next door scores 9.5, against 8.7 here. Supply zones, not distance, explain the gap. See DE65
  • Lead is the reading closest to its limit, at 49% of the 0.01 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading

Next door

DE659.5 out of 10DE739.2 out of 10DE119.3 out of 10

Questions about DE12 water

Is DE12 tap water safe to drink?

Based on the latest tests, DE12 (South Derbyshire) water scores 8.7/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.

What contaminants are in DE12 water?

We tested 20 contaminants in DE12 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.

Who supplies water in DE12?

DE12 (South Derbyshire) is supplied by Severn Trent. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.

Should I use a water filter in DE12?

DE12 water scored 8.7/10 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 DE12 water?

No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for DE12, 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 DE12?

The Environment Agency rated the Hooborough Brook from Source to River Mease as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by fish, water plants and algae and 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 dropped since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in DE12, which is treated before it reaches homes.

Keep reading

How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map

River and groundwater readings near DE12

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.

SubstanceReadingDrinking water limit
Manganese0.0692 mg/L0.05 mg/L
Iron0.402 mg/L0.2 mg/L
pH7.94 pHNone
Temperature17.9 °CNone
Conductivity969 µS/cmNone
Ammonia0.035 mg/L0.5 mg/L
Nitrate8.4 mg/L50 mg/L
Nitrite0.052 mg/L0.5 mg/L
Phosphate0.2 mg/LNone
Dissolved Oxygen6.96 mg/LNone
Nickel0.00148 mg/L0.02 mg/L
Hardness (as CaCO3)388 mg/LNone
Zinc0.0156 mg/LNone

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Source: Severn Trent test results, published through the Stream Water Data Portal; rivers and PFAS from the Environment Agency. Page updated . How we score · Where the data comes from