Tap water in IP20, South NorfolkSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 402 samples, 18 substances, latest on 16 December 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 463 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 IP20 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.
Fluoride came closest to a limit, at 34% of it. 14 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Fluoride34%
- Trihalomethanes25%
- Nitrate15%
- Iron11%
- Nickel8%
- Nitrite6%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Turbidity5%
- Copper5%
- Lead4%
- 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 | 0.1 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 5% |
| Fluoride | 0.51 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 34% |
| 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 | 0.00036 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 4% |
| Antimony | 0.00008 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0253 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 25% |
463mg 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 IP20
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Your river is the Starston Brook, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Starston Brook as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by 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
IP20 in short
Tap water in IP20 (South Norfolk) is supplied by Anglian Water in the South Norfolk 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 16 December 2024.
- Among the hardest water in the country at 463 mg/LVery hard starts at 250 mg/L. At this level kettles scale up within weeks and a softener is a normal purchase in IP20. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 5 areas tested in South NorfolkOnly 1 area in South Norfolk scored higher. The best is NR18 on 9.4.
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Fluoride at 34% of the 1.5 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about IP20 water
Is IP20 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, IP20 (South Norfolk) 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 IP20 water?
We tested 18 contaminants in IP20 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in IP20?
IP20 (South Norfolk) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is IP20 water hard or soft?
Water in IP20 (South Norfolk) has a hardness of 463 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 IP20?
IP20 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 IP20 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for IP20, 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 IP20?
The Environment Agency rated the Starston Brook as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by 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 IP20, 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 IP20
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 IP20.