Tap water in L39, West LancashireSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by United Utilities. 1,771 samples, 16 substances, latest on 30 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 253 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
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What's in a glass of L39 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 40% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes40%
- Nitrate15%
- Ammonia11%
- Bromate8%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Nickel4%
- Turbidity3%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Aluminium1%
- Iron1%
- Manganese<1%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 0.1 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Aluminium | 0.00271 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 1% |
| Iron | 0.0021 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 1% |
| Manganese | 0.00037 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 7.26 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 15% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0403 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 40% |
| Bromate | 0.00081 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 8% |
| Chromium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.00085 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Copper | 0.0000301 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00077 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Lead | 0.00055 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| Cadmium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
253mg 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 L39
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Your river is the Three Pool's Waterway, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Three Pool's Waterway 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, fish and insects and other small river life. 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
223
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 7 sites. The highest was PFBA at 0.96 µg/L, at Kodak Ltd. Acorn Road. Wrb No SJ49/64, 9.5 km away, in June 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Liverpool · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
L39 in short
Tap water in L39 (West Lancashire) is supplied by United Utilities in the West Lancashire Central zone and scores 9.3 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 16 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 30 December 2024.
- The cleanest tap water of the 3 areas tested in West LancashireL39 scores 9.3 out of 10, ahead of L40 in second place on 9.3.
- Very hard water at 253 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in L39. How hardness is measured
- Trihalomethanes is the reading closest to its limit, at 40% of the 0.1 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
Questions about L39 water
Is L39 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, L39 (West Lancashire) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in L39 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in L39 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 L39?
L39 (West Lancashire) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is L39 water hard or soft?
Water in L39 (West Lancashire) has a hardness of 253 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 L39?
L39 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 L39 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for L39 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 223 river and groundwater samples from 7 sites within 10 km of L39, the highest being PFBA at 0.96 µg/L about 9.5 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 L39?
The Environment Agency rated the Three Pool's Waterway 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, fish and insects and other small river life. 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 L39, 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 L39
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 0.162 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Iron | 3.65 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 7.46 pH | None |
| Temperature | 7.7 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 292 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.19 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 2.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0064 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.071 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 11.3 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.000474 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 466 mg/L | None |
| Fluoride | 0.15 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L |
| Chromium | 0.00267 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Arsenic | 0.00507 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for L39.