Tap water in LN5, North KestevenSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 709 samples, 19 substances, latest on 12 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
8.9 / 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 268 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 LN5 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 61% of it. 15 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Fluoride61%
- Nitrate50%
- Trihalomethanes23%
- Arsenic22%
- Iron11%
- Nickel8%
- Bromate7%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Nitrite6%
- Turbidity5%
- Antimony4%
- Copper3%
- Lead2%
- Selenium2%
- Chromium2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
All 19 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 0.21 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| 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% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0231 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 23% |
| Bromate | 0.0007 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
| Nitrate | 24.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 50% |
| Nitrite | 0.03 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Copper | 0.05 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 3% |
| Fluoride | 0.92 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 61% |
| Arsenic | 0.00221 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 22% |
| Cadmium | 0.00002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00076 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.00165 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 8% |
| Lead | 0.00021 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00021 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 4% |
268mg 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 LN5
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Your river is the Witham - conf Brant to conf Catchwater Drain, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Witham - conf Brant to conf Catchwater Drain 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
257
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 12 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.043 µg/L, at Dunston Beck Spring, 8.6 km away, in December 2023. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Lincoln · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
LN5 in short
Tap water in LN5 (North Kesteven) is supplied by Anglian Water in the North Kesteven Central zone and scores 8.9 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 19 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 12 December 2024.
- Fluoride is the reading closest to its limit, at 61% of the 1.5 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- Very hard water at 268 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in LN5. How hardness is measured
- 3rd cleanest of 4 areas tested in Lincoln1 area in Lincoln scored lower. The best is NG34 on 9.4. Every area in Lincoln
Questions about LN5 water
Is LN5 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, LN5 (North Kesteven) water scores 8.9/10, which is safe. 0 of 19 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in LN5 water?
We tested 19 contaminants in LN5 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 LN5?
LN5 (North Kesteven) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is LN5 water hard or soft?
Water in LN5 (North Kesteven) has a hardness of 268 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 LN5?
LN5 water scored 8.9/10 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 LN5 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for LN5 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 257 river and groundwater samples from 12 sites within 10 km of LN5, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.043 µg/L about 8.6 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 LN5?
The Environment Agency rated the Witham - conf Brant to conf Catchwater Drain 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 LN5, 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 kitsAll of LincolnUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near LN5
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 | 0.0655 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Iron | 2.32 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 7.14 pH | None |
| Temperature | 15.5 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 977 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.35 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 2.2 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.1 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.18 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 2.12 mg/L | None |
| Cadmium | 0.0000157 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Nickel | 0.00558 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Lead | 0.0034 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Chromium | 0.00318 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00335 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0118 mg/L | None |
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