Tap water in M5, SalfordSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 1,616 samples, 16 substances, latest on 22 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.5 / 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 M5 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 28% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes28%
- Ammonia6%
- Aluminium6%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Turbidity5%
- Nitrate4%
- Nickel4%
- Bromate3%
- Manganese3%
- Iron2%
- Selenium2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Aluminium | 0.0128 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.0047 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 2% |
| Manganese | 0.00168 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrate | 2.04 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 4% |
| Nitrite | 0.0075 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| 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% |
| Bromate | 0.00034 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 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% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0279 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 28% |
| Ammonia | 0.0321 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
29mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the M area. M5 has no reading of its own.
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 Irwell / Manchester Ship Canal (Irk to confluence with Upper Mersey), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Irwell / Manchester Ship Canal (Irk to confluence with Upper Mersey) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by ammonia 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
235
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 11 sites. The highest was PFBA at 0.05 µg/L, at Holts Brewery Replacement Borehole SJ89/283, 3.2 km away, in January 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Manchester · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
M5 in short
Tap water in M5 (Salford) is supplied by United Utilities in the Salford Central zone and scores 9.5 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 22 December 2024.
- 6th cleanest of 10 areas tested in ManchesterSquarely mid-table for Manchester, between M27 on 9.6 and M6 on 9.3. Every area in Manchester
- Soft water at 29 mg/LLimescale is not a problem across the M postcode area, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- PFAS found at 11 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFBA about 3.2 km away. What was measured
Questions about M5 water
Is M5 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, M5 (Salford) water scores 9.5/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in M5 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in M5 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 M5?
M5 (Salford) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is M5 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for M5 itself. Across the M postcode area the typical value is 29 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in M5?
M5 water scored 9.5/10 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 M5 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for M5 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 235 river and groundwater samples from 11 sites within 10 km of M5, the highest being PFBA at 0.05 µg/L about 3.2 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 M5?
The Environment Agency rated the Irwell / Manchester Ship Canal (Irk to confluence with Upper Mersey) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by ammonia 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 M5, 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 ManchesterUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near M5
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 5.1 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 7.69 pH | None |
| Temperature | 9.4 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 400 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.19 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 4.2 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.047 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 11.1 mg/L | None |
| Chromium | 0.000947 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0167 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.00542 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Arsenic | 0.00139 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for M5.