Tap water in IP13, East SuffolkSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 507 samples, 18 substances, latest on 9 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
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 380 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
We earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we put first. How we make money
What's in a glass of IP13 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 68% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes68%
- Fluoride18%
- Nitrate15%
- Iron11%
- Nickel9%
- Arsenic7%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Nitrite6%
- Antimony6%
- Turbidity5%
- Selenium2%
- Lead2%
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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% |
| Arsenic | 0.00068 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
| Cadmium | 0.00002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00076 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.0003 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 7.65 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 15% |
| Nitrite | 0.03 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Copper | 0.03 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.27 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 18% |
| Nickel | 0.00187 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 9% |
| Lead | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0677 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 68% |
380mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the IP area. IP13 has no reading of its own.
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 IP13
Leave your details and we will email you when we can match you with installers who cover IP13. No obligation.
Request a free assessment and we'll come back to you with local installer options for your area.
100%
free, no obligation
shared only with your consent
Your river is the Deben (Brandeston Bridge - Melton), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Deben (Brandeston Bridge - Melton) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by dissolved oxygen. 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
3
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 1 site. The highest was PFOS at 0.00054 µg/L, at RSN0533 Potsford Bk.hall Road U/S Charsfield, 4.7 km away, in March 2026. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Ipswich · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
IP13 in short
Tap water in IP13 (East Suffolk) is supplied by Anglian Water in the East Suffolk Central zone and scores 9.1 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 18 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 9 December 2024.
- Among the hardest water in the country at 380 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase across the IP postcode area. How hardness is measured
- Trihalomethanes is the reading closest to its limit, at 68% of the 0.1 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 9th cleanest of 13 areas tested in East Suffolk4 areas in East Suffolk scored lower. The best is NR33 on 9.4.
Questions about IP13 water
Is IP13 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, IP13 (East Suffolk) water scores 9.1/10, which is safe. 0 of 18 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in IP13 water?
We tested 18 contaminants in IP13 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 IP13?
IP13 (East Suffolk) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is IP13 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for IP13 itself. Across the IP postcode area the typical value is 380 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 IP13?
IP13 water scored 9.1/10 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 IP13 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for IP13 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 3 river and groundwater samples from 1 sites within 10 km of IP13, the highest being PFOS at 0.00054 µg/L about 4.7 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 IP13?
The Environment Agency rated the Deben (Brandeston Bridge - Melton) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by dissolved oxygen. 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 IP13, 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 IP13
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 IP13.