Tap water in IP17, East SuffolkSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 55 samples, 18 substances, latest on 4 September 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.3 / 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 453 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 IP17 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 45% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes45%
- Fluoride23%
- Nitrate15%
- Iron11%
- Nickel8%
- Nitrite6%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Turbidity5%
- Copper3%
- Lead2%
- Arsenic2%
- Selenium2%
- Antimony2%
- Chromium2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
All 18 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Turbidity | 0.21 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Nitrate | 7.52 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 15% |
| 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 | 0.06 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 3% |
| Fluoride | 0.34 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 23% |
| Arsenic | 0.00018 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| 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 | 0.00024 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00008 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0448 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 45% |
453mg 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 IP17
Leave your details and we will email you when we can match you with installers who cover IP17. 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 Fromus, rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Fromus 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 fish, 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
IP17 in short
Tap water in IP17 (East Suffolk) is supplied by Anglian Water in the East Suffolk Central zone and scores 9.3 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 4 September 2024.
- The newest sample here is from September 2024That is over 2 years old, so treat this page as a record of past results rather than today's tap water.
- Among the hardest water in the country at 453 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in IP17. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 13 areas tested in East SuffolkOnly 1 area in East Suffolk scored higher. The best is NR33 on 9.4.
Questions about IP17 water
Is IP17 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, IP17 (East Suffolk) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 18 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in IP17 water?
We tested 18 contaminants in IP17 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in IP17?
IP17 (East Suffolk) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is IP17 water hard or soft?
Water in IP17 (East Suffolk) has a hardness of 453 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 IP17?
IP17 water scored 9.3/10 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 IP17 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for IP17, 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 IP17?
The Environment Agency rated the Fromus 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 fish, 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 IP17, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- 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?
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- 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
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near IP17
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 IP17.