Tap water in PE1, PeterboroughSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 1,109 samples, 19 substances, latest on 23 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.1 / 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 227 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 PE1 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 38% of it. 14 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate38%
- Lead28%
- Fluoride19%
- Trihalomethanes13%
- Iron13%
- Nickel9%
- Nitrite6%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Antimony6%
- Turbidity5%
- Arsenic3%
- Selenium2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 543 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 |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0135 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 13% |
| Turbidity | 0.21 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Nitrate | 18.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 38% |
| Nitrite | 0.03 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.025 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 13% |
| Manganese | 0.003 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 6% |
| Conductivity | 543 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Copper | 0.03 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.28 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 19% |
| 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 | 0.00185 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 9% |
| Lead | 0.00281 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 28% |
| Antimony | 0.00028 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
227mg 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 PE1
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Your river is the Folly River (including Werrington and Marholm Brooks), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Folly River (including Werrington and Marholm Brooks) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by dissolved oxygen 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
PE1 in short
Tap water in PE1 (Peterborough) is supplied by Anglian Water in the Peterborough Central zone and scores 9.1 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.
- 4th cleanest of 5 areas tested in Peterborough1 area in Peterborough scored lower. The best is PE3 on 9.4.
- Hard water at 227 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in PE1. How hardness is measured
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Nitrate at 38% of the 50 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about PE1 water
Is PE1 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, PE1 (Peterborough) water scores 9.1/10, which is safe. 0 of 19 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Anglian Water.
What contaminants are in PE1 water?
We tested 19 contaminants in PE1 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in PE1?
PE1 (Peterborough) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is PE1 water hard or soft?
Water in PE1 (Peterborough) has a hardness of 227 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 PE1?
PE1 water scored 9.1/10 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 PE1 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for PE1, 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 PE1?
The Environment Agency rated the Folly River (including Werrington and Marholm Brooks) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by dissolved oxygen 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in PE1, 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 PE1
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 | 7.29 pH | None |
| Lead | 0.00001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Nickel | 0.0011 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.00002 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Mercury | 0.000012 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L |
| Ammonia | 0.079 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 6.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.086 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 10.4 mg/L | None |
| Temperature | 15.5 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 825 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrite | 0.0464 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Boron | 0.723 mg/L | 1 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00117 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for PE1.