Tap water in L5, LiverpoolSafe to drink.Moderately soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 1,996 samples, 16 substances, latest on 30 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.4 / 10
The tank is as full as the score. The specks are the minerals that make water hard.
What to do about it
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
BRITA Marella XL + MAXTRA PRO
£25typical price
Basic chlorine and taste improvement on a budget
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What's in a glass of L5 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 29% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes29%
- Ammonia11%
- Iron9%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Nitrate5%
- Bromate5%
- Nickel4%
- Aluminium3%
- Turbidity3%
- Selenium2%
- Manganese2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0.00055 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| 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% |
| Nitrate | 2.66 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 5% |
| Aluminium | 0.00622 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Iron | 0.017 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 9% |
| Manganese | 0.00103 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
| Bromate | 0.00049 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Copper | 0.0000104 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00077 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0293 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 29% |
71mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Soft water. Kind to kettles, boilers and skin
You will not need a softener here, and you will use less soap and detergent than most of England.
Your river is the Tue Brook, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Tue 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 insects and other small river life, fish and ammonia. 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
54
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 5 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.022 µg/L, at Liverpool Football Club Academy Borehole 3, 9.5 km away, in September 2025. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Liverpool · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
L5 in short
Tap water in L5 (Liverpool) is supplied by United Utilities in the Liverpool Central zone and scores 9.4 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.
- 6th cleanest of 21 areas tested in LiverpoolOnly 5 areas in Liverpool scored higher. The best is L6 on 9.5. Every area in Liverpool
- PFAS found at 5 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was 6:2 FTSA about 9.5 km away. What was measured
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Trihalomethanes at 29% of the 0.1 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about L5 water
Is L5 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, L5 (Liverpool) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in L5 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in L5 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 L5?
L5 (Liverpool) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is L5 water hard or soft?
Water in L5 (Liverpool) has a hardness of 71 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately soft. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in L5?
L5 water scored 9.4/10 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 L5 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for L5 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 54 river and groundwater samples from 5 sites within 10 km of L5, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.022 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 L5?
The Environment Agency rated the Tue 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 insects and other small river life, fish and ammonia. 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 L5, 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
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of LiverpoolUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near L5
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 | 0.23 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Temperature | 9.4 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 1939 µS/cm | None |
| Cadmium | 0.00006 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 0.46 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 808 mg/L | None |
| Fluoride | 0.13 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.55 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.00005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.11 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.0022 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00015 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Arsenic | 0.0027 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for L5.