Tap water in NN12, West NorthamptonshireSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 834 samples, 20 substances, latest on 12 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, nitrite, sits close to the line.
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 243 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.
Waterdrop G3P600 Reverse Osmosis
£550typical price
Maximum contaminant removal including PFAS and fluoride
Waterdrop 10UA Under Sink
£70typical price
High-volume under-sink filtration without RO complexity
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What's in a glass of NN12 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.
Nitrite came closest to a limit, at 82% of it. 15 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrite82%
- Nitrate38%
- Trihalomethanes18%
- Fluoride18%
- Nickel16%
- Bromate12%
- Iron11%
- Antimony7%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Turbidity5%
- Arsenic3%
- Copper3%
- Lead2%
- Selenium2%
- Chromium2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 571 µS/cm
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrite | 0.41 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 82% |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Turbidity | 0.21 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Nitrate | 19.2 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 38% |
| 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% |
| Conductivity | 571 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Copper | 0.05 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 3% |
| Fluoride | 0.27 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 18% |
| Arsenic | 0.00026 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Cadmium | 0.00002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00076 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.00312 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 16% |
| Lead | 0.00021 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00033 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 7% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0182 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 18% |
| Bromate | 0.00119 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 12% |
243mg 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 NN12
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Your river is the Silverstone Brook, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Silverstone 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 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
11
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 1 site. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.015 µg/L, at R.tove Cappenham Bridge, 2.9 km away, in July 2025. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Northampton · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
NN12 in short
Tap water in NN12 (West Northamptonshire) is supplied by Anglian Water in the West Northamptonshire Central zone and scores 8.9 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. 1 of 20 tested substances was close to or over a limit. The latest sample is from 12 December 2024.
- Nitrite is within its legal limit but flagged, at 82% of the 0.5 mg/L maximumAnything over three quarters of a limit is flagged here as worth watching. It has not gone over. See every reading
- The lowest score of the 12 areas tested in NorthamptonNN12 scores 8.9 out of 10. The best in Northampton, NN11, scores 9.4. Every area in Northampton
- Every one of the 10 neighbouring districts scores higherNN2 next door scores 9.4, against 8.9 here. Supply zones, not distance, explain the gap. See NN2
Questions about NN12 water
Is NN12 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, NN12 (West Northamptonshire) water scores 8.9/10, which is safe. 1 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in NN12 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in NN12 water. 1 were flagged, including Nitrite. 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 NN12?
NN12 (West Northamptonshire) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is NN12 water hard or soft?
Water in NN12 (West Northamptonshire) has a hardness of 243 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in NN12?
With 1 contaminant above recommended levels in NN12, a water filter could help. A reverse osmosis or activated carbon filter is recommended for PFAS removal. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in NN12 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for NN12 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 11 river and groundwater samples from 1 sites within 10 km of NN12, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.015 µg/L about 2.9 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 NN12?
The Environment Agency rated the Silverstone 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 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 NN12, 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?
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
- 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 explainedNitrate levelsBoiling water taps and hard waterHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of NorthamptonUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near NN12
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 | 0.3 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Turbidity | 18 NTU | 4 NTU |
| pH | 8.14 pH | None |
| Temperature | 13.9 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 781 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 5.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0044 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.039 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 9.49 mg/L | None |
| Ammonia | 0.00145 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Lead | 0.00054 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.00001 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Nickel | 0.00086 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0022 mg/L | None |
| Copper | 0.00008 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
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