Tap water in EN9, Epping ForestSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Affinity Water. 72 samples, 11 substances, latest on 4 November 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.2 / 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 313 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 EN9 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 45% of it. 7 of 8 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate45%
- Ammonia12%
- Colour10%
- Iron4%
- Turbidity3%
- Nitrite2%
- Aluminium<1%
- Manganese<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 715 µS/cm
All 11 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Nitrate | 22.4 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 45% |
| Iron | 0.00897 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Colour | 2 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 10% |
| Turbidity | 0.1 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Aluminium | 0.00199 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | <1% |
| Manganese | 0.000363 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrite | 0.01 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Conductivity | 715 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Ammonia | 0.06 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 12% |
313mg 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 EN9
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Your river is the Cobbins Brook, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Cobbins 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, insects and other small river life and 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. 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
61
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 2 sites. The highest was PFOS at 0.014 µg/L, at Lee Navigation Subsidiary B Above Picketts Lock, 8.4 km away, in July 2023. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around London · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
EN9 in short
Tap water in EN9 (Epping Forest) is supplied by Affinity Water in the Epping Forest Central zone and scores 9.2 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 4 November 2025.
- Among the hardest water in the country at 313 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in EN9. How hardness is measured
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 45% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 4th cleanest of 6 areas tested in Epping ForestSquarely mid-table for Epping Forest, between CM5 on 9.5 and IG10 on 7.1.
Questions about EN9 water
Is EN9 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, EN9 (Epping Forest) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 0 of 11 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Affinity Water.
What contaminants are in EN9 water?
We tested 11 contaminants in EN9 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 EN9?
EN9 (Epping Forest) is supplied by Affinity Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is EN9 water hard or soft?
Water in EN9 (Epping Forest) has a hardness of 313 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 EN9?
EN9 water scored 9.2/10 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 EN9 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for EN9 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 61 river and groundwater samples from 2 sites within 10 km of EN9, the highest being PFOS at 0.014 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 EN9?
The Environment Agency rated the Cobbins 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, insects and other small river life and 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in EN9, 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?
- 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 EN9
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 | 7.69 pH | None |
| Temperature | 17.9 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 937 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 15 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.06 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 2 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 6.14 mg/L | None |
| Ammonia | 0.06 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nickel | 0.0017 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Manganese | 0.0033 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00037 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0029 mg/L | None |
| PFAS (total) | 0.0054 µg/L | None |
Get alerts for your area
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