Tap water in HR5, Herefordshire, County ofSafe to drink.
Supplied by Severn Trent. 660 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.6 / 10
The tank is as full as the score.
What to do about it

ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour
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Households concerned about PFAS and heavy metals

Waterdrop 10UA Under Sink
£70typical price
High-volume under-sink filtration without RO complexity

BRITA Marella XL + MAXTRA PRO
£25typical price
Basic chlorine and taste improvement on a budget
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What's in a glass of HR5 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 27% of it. 16 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate27%
- Colour23%
- Bromate11%
- Turbidity7%
- Trihalomethanes5%
- Chromium3%
- Nickel3%
- Copper3%
- Nitrite3%
- Aluminium3%
- Iron2%
- Lead2%
- Manganese1%
- Arsenic1%
- Selenium<1%
- Antimony<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Conductivity 390 µS/cm
- E. coli none found
- Coliform Bacteria none found
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conductivity | 390 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0054 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 5% |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Aluminium | 0.005 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00068 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Iron | 0.004 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 2% |
| Turbidity | 0.27 NTU | 4 NTU | 7% |
| Colour | 4.6 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 23% |
| Antimony | 0.000028 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Lead | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Selenium | 0.00023 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00059 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 3% |
| Chromium | 0.0015 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 3% |
| Arsenic | 0.00011 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Copper | 0.058 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 3% |
| Cadmium | 0.000025 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrite | 0.013 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrate | 13.3 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 27% |
| Bromate | 0.0011 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 11% |
Your river is the Arrow - conf Gladestry Bk to conf Gilwern Bk, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Arrow - conf Gladestry Bk to conf Gilwern Bk as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish 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.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
HR5 in short
Tap water in HR5 (Herefordshire, County of) is supplied by Severn Trent in the Herefordshire, County of Central zone and scores 9.6 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 2024.
- 2nd cleanest of 9 areas tested in Herefordshire, County ofOnly 1 area in Herefordshire, County of scored higher. The best is HR4 on 9.6.
- 0.6 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Nitrate at 27% of the 50 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about HR5 water
Is HR5 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, HR5 (Herefordshire, County of) water scores 9.6/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.
What contaminants are in HR5 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in HR5 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in HR5?
HR5 (Herefordshire, County of) 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 HR5?
HR5 water scored 9.6/10 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 HR5 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for HR5, 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 HR5?
The Environment Agency rated the Arrow - conf Gladestry Bk to conf Gilwern Bk as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish 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. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in HR5, which is treated before it reaches homes.
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River and groundwater readings near HR5
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.
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We'll email you when water quality data changes for HR5.