Tap water in MK42, BedfordSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 1,241 samples, 19 substances, latest on 23 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.2 / 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 MK42 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.
Nitrate came closest to a limit, at 49% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate49%
- Trihalomethanes21%
- Fluoride17%
- Nickel16%
- Iron15%
- Antimony8%
- Manganese6%
- Aluminium6%
- Nitrite6%
- Turbidity5%
- Arsenic3%
- Selenium2%
- Lead2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 663 µS/cm
All 19 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.03 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 15% |
| Manganese | 0.003 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 6% |
| Turbidity | 0.21 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Nitrate | 24.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 49% |
| Nitrite | 0.03 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Conductivity | 663 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Cadmium | 0.00002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00076 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.00313 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 16% |
| Lead | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.0004 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 8% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0209 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 21% |
| Fluoride | 0.25 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 17% |
| Copper | 0.03 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Arsenic | 0.00033 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
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 MK42
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Your river is the Elstow Brook (US Shortstown), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Elstow Brook (US Shortstown) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish and water plants and algae. 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
MK42 in short
Tap water in MK42 (Bedford) is supplied by Anglian Water in the Bedford Central zone and scores 9.2 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 23 December 2024.
- Very hard water at 253 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in MK42. How hardness is measured
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 49% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 3rd cleanest of 5 areas tested in BedfordSquarely mid-table for Bedford, between MK43 on 9.3 and MK41 on 8.9.
Questions about MK42 water
Is MK42 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, MK42 (Bedford) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 0 of 19 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in MK42 water?
We tested 19 contaminants in MK42 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in MK42?
MK42 (Bedford) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is MK42 water hard or soft?
Water in MK42 (Bedford) 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 MK42?
MK42 water scored 9.2/10 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 MK42 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for MK42, and the Environment Agency has no PFAS detections in rivers or groundwater within 10 km of it. That reflects where sampling has happened as much as the water itself.
How clean is the river near MK42?
The Environment Agency rated the Elstow Brook (US Shortstown) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish and water plants and algae. 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 MK42, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- 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?
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- 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
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near MK42
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 |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 8.02 pH | None |
| Temperature | 18.6 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 1059 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 6.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.017 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.55 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 7.93 mg/L | None |
| Ammonia | 0.031 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Lead | 0.00052 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.000015 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Nickel | 0.003 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Chromium | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00007 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Turbidity | 2.4 NTU | 4 NTU |
Get alerts for your area
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