Tap water in NN6, West NorthamptonshireSafe to drink.Slightly hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 979 samples, 19 substances, latest on 14 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.3 / 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 NN6 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 43% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate43%
- Fluoride19%
- Trihalomethanes16%
- Iron11%
- Nickel9%
- Turbidity7%
- Nitrite6%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Antimony5%
- Arsenic3%
- Selenium2%
- Lead2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 666 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 |
| Conductivity | 666 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.28 NTU | 4 NTU | 7% |
| Nitrate | 21.6 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 43% |
| Nitrite | 0.03 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| 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% |
| Copper | 0.03 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.28 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 19% |
| Arsenic | 0.00031 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 | 0.00174 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 9% |
| Lead | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00026 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 5% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0156 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 16% |
166mg 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 river is the Holdenby Arm of Spratton Brook, rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Holdenby Arm of Spratton Brook 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 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
34
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 4 sites. The highest was PFBS at 0.0057 µg/L, at RSN1790 East Haddon Arm (Whilton Branch) at D/S Railway, 8.7 km away, in September 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Northampton · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
NN6 in short
Tap water in NN6 (West Northamptonshire) is supplied by Anglian Water in the West Northamptonshire Central zone and scores 9.3 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 14 December 2024.
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 43% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 6th cleanest of 12 areas tested in NorthamptonSquarely mid-table for Northampton, between NN11 on 9.4 and NN12 on 8.9. Every area in Northampton
- PFAS found at 4 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFBS about 8.7 km away. What was measured
Questions about NN6 water
Is NN6 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, NN6 (West Northamptonshire) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 19 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in NN6 water?
We tested 19 contaminants in NN6 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 NN6?
NN6 (West Northamptonshire) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is NN6 water hard or soft?
Water in NN6 (West Northamptonshire) has a hardness of 166 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately hard. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in NN6?
NN6 water scored 9.3/10 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 NN6 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for NN6 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 34 river and groundwater samples from 4 sites within 10 km of NN6, the highest being PFBS at 0.0057 µg/L about 8.7 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 NN6?
The Environment Agency rated the Holdenby Arm of Spratton Brook 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 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 NN6, 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 NorthamptonUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near NN6
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 NN6.