Tap water in PR8, SeftonSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by United Utilities. 2,841 samples, 16 substances, latest on 30 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 258 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 PR8 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.
Trihalomethanes came closest to a limit, at 39% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes39%
- Nitrate12%
- Ammonia11%
- Antimony6%
- Bromate6%
- Lead6%
- Nickel4%
- Iron3%
- Aluminium3%
- Turbidity3%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Manganese<1%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 0.1 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Nitrate | 6.02 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 12% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0392 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 39% |
| Bromate | 0.00057 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| Copper | 0.0000143 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00077 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Lead | 0.00055 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| Chromium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Aluminium | 0.00622 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Iron | 0.007 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00045 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Antimony | 0.00031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.00085 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Cadmium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
258mg 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 PR8
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Your river is the Three Pool's Waterway, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Three Pool's Waterway 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, fish and insects and other small river life. 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
PR8 in short
Tap water in PR8 (Sefton) is supplied by United Utilities in the Sefton Central zone and scores 9.3 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 16 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 30 December 2024.
- Very hard water at 258 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in PR8. How hardness is measured
- 7th cleanest of 12 areas tested in SeftonSquarely mid-table for Sefton, between L21 on 9.4 and L10 on 8.8.
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Trihalomethanes at 39% of the 0.1 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about PR8 water
Is PR8 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, PR8 (Sefton) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in PR8 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in PR8 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in PR8?
PR8 (Sefton) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is PR8 water hard or soft?
Water in PR8 (Sefton) has a hardness of 258 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as very hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in PR8?
PR8 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 PR8 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for PR8, 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 PR8?
The Environment Agency rated the Three Pool's Waterway 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, fish and insects and other small river life. 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 PR8, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
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- 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
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- Best water softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared
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- 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
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River and groundwater readings near PR8
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 PR8.