Tap water in L40, West LancashireSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by United Utilities. 1,679 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 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.
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 L40 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 39% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes39%
- Nitrate16%
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Cadmium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| 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% |
| Turbidity | 0.1 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Copper | 0.0000104 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% |
| Nitrate | 7.93 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 16% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
| Bromate | 0.00081 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 8% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0393 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 39% |
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 L40
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Your river is the Back Drain and Sluice, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Back Drain and Sluice 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 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
146
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 3 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.12 µg/L, at Mossock Hall Farm SD40/144, 9.2 km away, in September 2025. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Wigan · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
L40 in short
Tap water in L40 (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.
- Very hard water at 261 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in L40. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 3 areas tested in West LancashireSquarely mid-table for West Lancashire, between L39 on 9.3 and WN8 on 9.2.
- PFAS found at 3 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was 6:2 FTSA about 9.2 km away. What was measured
Questions about L40 water
Is L40 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, L40 (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 L40 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in L40 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 L40?
L40 (West Lancashire) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is L40 water hard or soft?
Water in L40 (West Lancashire) 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 L40?
L40 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 L40 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for L40 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 146 river and groundwater samples from 3 sites within 10 km of L40, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.12 µg/L about 9.2 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 L40?
The Environment Agency rated the Back Drain and Sluice 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 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 L40, 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 L40
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 L40.