Tap water in IP11, East SuffolkSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 627 samples, 18 substances, latest on 23 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, trihalomethanes, sits close to the line.
9.0 / 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 261 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 trihalomethanes, the result that stood out in IP11.
Frizzlife PD600 Under Sink RO
£450typical price
Removes trihalomethanes, the result that stood out in IP11.
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What's in a glass of IP11 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.
Trihalomethanes came closest to a limit, at 78% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes78%
- Nitrate18%
- Fluoride18%
- Iron11%
- Nickel9%
- Arsenic8%
- Antimony7%
- Nitrite6%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Turbidity5%
- Lead3%
- Selenium2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
All 18 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0776 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 78% |
| Turbidity | 0.21 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Nitrate | 9.08 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 18% |
| Nitrite | 0.03 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| 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% |
| Copper | 0.03 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.27 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 18% |
| Arsenic | 0.0008 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 8% |
| Cadmium | 0.00002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00076 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.00188 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 9% |
| Lead | 0.00026 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Antimony | 0.00035 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 7% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
261mg 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 IP11
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Your coastal water is the Essex, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Essex as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the coastal water is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. 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
63
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 4 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.046 µg/L, at Church Farm Spring, Waldringfield, 9.0 km away, in January 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Ipswich · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
IP11 in short
Tap water in IP11 (East Suffolk) is supplied by Anglian Water in the East Suffolk Central zone and scores 9.0 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 23 December 2024.
- Trihalomethanes is within its legal limit but flagged, at 78% of the 0.1 mg/L maximumAnything over three quarters of a limit is flagged here as worth watching. It has not gone over. See every reading
- 12th cleanest of 13 areas tested in East Suffolk1 area in East Suffolk scored lower. The best is NR33 on 9.4.
- Very hard water at 261 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in IP11. How hardness is measured
Questions about IP11 water
Is IP11 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, IP11 (East Suffolk) water scores 9/10, which is safe. 1 of 18 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in IP11 water?
We tested 18 contaminants in IP11 water. 1 were flagged, including Trihalomethanes. 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 IP11?
IP11 (East Suffolk) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is IP11 water hard or soft?
Water in IP11 (East Suffolk) has a hardness of 261 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 IP11?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in IP11, 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 IP11 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for IP11 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 63 river and groundwater samples from 4 sites within 10 km of IP11, the highest being PFOA at 0.046 µg/L about 9 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 coastal water near IP11?
The Environment Agency rated the Essex as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the coastal water is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. 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 coastal water, not of tap water in IP11, 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 explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near IP11
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonia | 0.51 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| pH | 10.1 pH | None |
| Temperature | 24.7 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 1064 µS/cm | None |
| Phosphate | 0.2 mg/L | None |
| Nitrite | 0.12 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 0.65 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 8.47 mg/L | None |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 254 mg/L | None |
| Fluoride | 0.19 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0015 mg/L | None |
| Chromium | 0.00055 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
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