Tap water in NN5, West NorthamptonshireSafe to drink.Hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 1,192 samples, 19 substances, latest on 13 December 2024. 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
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 195 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 NN5 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 24% of it. 16 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate24%
- Fluoride18%
- Trihalomethanes14%
- Iron14%
- Nickel8%
- Turbidity6%
- Nitrite6%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Antimony4%
- Arsenic3%
- Selenium2%
- Lead2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 450 µS/cm
All 19 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Turbidity | 0.25 NTU | 4 NTU | 6% |
| Nitrate | 12 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 24% |
| Nitrite | 0.03 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.028 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 14% |
| Manganese | 0.003 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 6% |
| Conductivity | 450 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Lead | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.0002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 4% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Copper | 0.03 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.27 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 18% |
| Arsenic | 0.0003 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 | 0.00161 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 8% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0143 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 14% |
195mg of limescale minerals in every litre
This is the water that furs up kettles
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 NN5
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Your river is the Brampton Branch - Lower, rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Brampton Branch - Lower as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by water plants and algae, fish and dissolved oxygen. 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
120
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 7 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.07 µg/L, at Billing Bk.lt.billing Rd.br.northampton, 7.9 km away, in August 2025. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Northampton · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
NN5 in short
Tap water in NN5 (West Northamptonshire) is supplied by Anglian Water in the West Northamptonshire Central zone and scores 9.4 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 13 December 2024.
- Hard water at 195 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in NN5. How hardness is measured
- 4th cleanest of 12 areas tested in NorthamptonOnly 3 areas in Northampton scored higher. The best is NN11 on 9.4. Every area in Northampton
- PFAS found at 7 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was 6:2 FTSA about 7.9 km away. What was measured
Questions about NN5 water
Is NN5 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, NN5 (West Northamptonshire) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 19 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in NN5 water?
We tested 19 contaminants in NN5 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 NN5?
NN5 (West Northamptonshire) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is NN5 water hard or soft?
Water in NN5 (West Northamptonshire) has a hardness of 195 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 NN5?
NN5 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 NN5 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for NN5 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 120 river and groundwater samples from 7 sites within 10 km of NN5, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.07 µg/L about 7.9 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 NN5?
The Environment Agency rated the Brampton Branch - Lower as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by water plants and algae, fish and dissolved oxygen. 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 NN5, 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 NorthamptonUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near NN5
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.
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for NN5.