Tap water in NE24, NorthumberlandSafe to drink.Slightly hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 3,382 samples, 20 substances, latest on 19 December 2025. 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 NE24 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 47% of it. 17 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Fluoride47%
- Nickel12%
- Iron8%
- Colour7%
- Aluminium6%
- Turbidity5%
- Bromate5%
- Antimony3%
- Nitrate3%
- Selenium2%
- Arsenic2%
- Boron1%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite1%
- Manganese1%
- Copper<1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Conductivity 280 µS/cm
- pH 8 pH
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 0.21 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Manganese | 0.00052 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Conductivity | 280 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Colour | 1.3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 7% |
| Iron | 0.016 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 8% |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| pH | 8 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Lead | 0.000065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00018 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Fluoride | 0.7 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 47% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Copper | 0.018 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 1.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 3% |
| Nickel | 0.0023 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 12% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Boron | 0.014 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 1% |
143mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Middling hardness. Some scale, slowly
Below the point where a softener pays for itself. Descaling the kettle now and then is all most homes need.
Your estuary is the Blyth (N), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Blyth (N) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by nitrogen. 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
NE24 in short
Tap water in NE24 (Northumberland) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the Northumberland Central zone and scores 9.4 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 20 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 19 December 2025.
- Fluoride is the reading closest to its limit, at 47% of the 1.5 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 12th cleanest of 28 areas tested in NorthumberlandSquarely mid-table for Northumberland, between NE41 on 9.8 and TD15 on 9.3.
- Moderately hard water at 143 mg/LSome scale over time in NE24, but not enough to justify a softener for most homes. How hardness is measured
Questions about NE24 water
Is NE24 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, NE24 (Northumberland) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Northumbrian Water.
What contaminants are in NE24 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in NE24 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in NE24?
NE24 (Northumberland) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is NE24 water hard or soft?
Water in NE24 (Northumberland) has a hardness of 143 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately hard. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in NE24?
NE24 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 NE24 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for NE24, 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 estuary near NE24?
The Environment Agency rated the Blyth (N) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by nitrogen. 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 estuary, not of tap water in NE24, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- 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
- How to Test Your Tap WaterFrom DIY strips to professional lab analysis
- Best Water Filter Jug UKBRITA vs ZeroWater vs the rest, tested against real data
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near NE24
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0.0127 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Manganese | 0.172 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Iron | 1.59 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 8.87 pH | None |
| Temperature | 9.1 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 618 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.037 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 1.3 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.017 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.031 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 11.7 mg/L | None |
| Cadmium | 0.000123 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 259 mg/L | None |
| Chromium | 0.0032 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Arsenic | 0.00347 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Boron | 0.136 mg/L | 1 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00679 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.065 mg/L | None |
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