Tap water in IP1, IpswichSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 871 samples, 18 substances, latest on 29 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, nitrate, sits close to the line.
9.1 / 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 402 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.
Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis
£550typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in IP1.
Osmio PRO-III Ultimate Whole House
£499typical price
Removes nitrate, the result that stood out in IP1.
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What's in a glass of IP1 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 83% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate83%
- Fluoride23%
- Iron11%
- Selenium9%
- Trihalomethanes9%
- Nickel8%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Nitrite6%
- Turbidity5%
- Copper4%
- Arsenic3%
- Antimony3%
- Lead2%
- Chromium2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
All 18 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 41.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 83% |
| 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% |
| Turbidity | 0.21 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Nitrite | 0.03 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Copper | 0.08 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 4% |
| Fluoride | 0.35 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 23% |
| Arsenic | 0.00031 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 | 0.00151 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 8% |
| Lead | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00014 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Selenium | 0.00369 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 9% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0086 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 9% |
402mg 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 IP1
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Your river is the Gipping (d/s Stowmarket), rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Gipping (d/s Stowmarket) 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 water plants and algae, dissolved oxygen 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
407
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 5 sites. The highest was 6:2 FtSAB at 0.038 µg/L, at R.gipping U/S Horseshoe Weir, 1.0 km away, in April 2026. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Ipswich · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
IP1 in short
Tap water in IP1 (Ipswich) is supplied by Anglian Water in the Ipswich Central zone and scores 9.1 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. 1 of 18 tested substances was close to or over a limit. The latest sample is from 29 December 2024.
- Nitrate is within its legal limit but flagged, at 83% of the 50 mg/L maximumAnything over three quarters of a limit is flagged here as worth watching. It has not gone over. See every reading
- Among the hardest water in the country at 402 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in IP1. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 4 areas tested in IpswichOnly 1 area in Ipswich scored higher. The best is IP4 on 9.2. Every area in Ipswich
Questions about IP1 water
Is IP1 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, IP1 (Ipswich) water scores 9.1/10, which is safe. 1 of 18 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in IP1 water?
We tested 18 contaminants in IP1 water. 1 were flagged, including Nitrate. 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 IP1?
IP1 (Ipswich) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is IP1 water hard or soft?
Water in IP1 (Ipswich) has a hardness of 402 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 IP1?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in IP1, a water filter could help. A reverse osmosis or activated carbon filter is recommended for PFAS removal. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in IP1 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for IP1 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 407 river and groundwater samples from 5 sites within 10 km of IP1, the highest being 6:2 FtSAB at 0.038 µg/L about 1 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 IP1?
The Environment Agency rated the Gipping (d/s Stowmarket) 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 water plants and algae, dissolved oxygen 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 IP1, 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?
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
- 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 explainedNitrate levelsHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of IpswichUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near IP1
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 IP1.