Tap water in PE8, North NorthamptonshireSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Anglian Water. 845 samples, 19 substances, latest on 16 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
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 232 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 PE8 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 35% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate35%
- Fluoride18%
- Trihalomethanes17%
- Iron14%
- Nickel11%
- Nitrite8%
- Aluminium6%
- Manganese6%
- Antimony6%
- Turbidity5%
- Arsenic3%
- Selenium2%
- Lead2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper2%
- Cadmium<1%
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- E. coli none found
- Conductivity 542 µS/cm
All 19 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 0.03 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.0021 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 11% |
| Lead | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| 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 | 17.7 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 35% |
| Nitrite | 0.04 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 8% |
| 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 | 542 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| 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% |
| Antimony | 0.00029 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.00072 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0169 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 17% |
232mg 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 PE8
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Your river is the Nene - Islip to tidal, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Nene - Islip to tidal as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish 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
PE8 in short
Tap water in PE8 (North Northamptonshire) is supplied by Anglian Water in the North 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 16 December 2024.
- Hard water at 232 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in PE8. How hardness is measured
- 4th cleanest of 10 areas tested in North NorthamptonshireOnly 3 areas in North Northamptonshire scored higher. The best is NN14 on 9.3.
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Nitrate at 35% of the 50 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about PE8 water
Is PE8 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, PE8 (North 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 PE8 water?
We tested 19 contaminants in PE8 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in PE8?
PE8 (North Northamptonshire) is supplied by Anglian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is PE8 water hard or soft?
Water in PE8 (North Northamptonshire) has a hardness of 232 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 PE8?
PE8 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 PE8 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for PE8, 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 PE8?
The Environment Agency rated the Nene - Islip to tidal as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish 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 PE8, 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 PE8
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 PE8.