Tap water in PR9, SeftonSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by United Utilities. 2,857 samples, 16 substances, latest on 29 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 253 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 PR9 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 41% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes41%
- Nitrate14%
- Ammonia11%
- Bromate6%
- Antimony6%
- 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% |
| Cadmium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Aluminium | 0.00622 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Chromium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Iron | 0.007 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Antimony | 0.00031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.00085 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Manganese | 0.00045 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.0000104 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% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0406 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 41% |
| Bromate | 0.00064 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| Nitrate | 6.86 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 14% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
253mg 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 PR9
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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
44
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 3 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.021 µg/L, at Liggard Brook @ B5259, 9.0 km away, in February 2026. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Preston · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
PR9 in short
Tap water in PR9 (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 29 December 2024.
- Very hard water at 253 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in PR9. How hardness is measured
- Trihalomethanes is the reading closest to its limit, at 41% of the 0.1 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 8th cleanest of 12 areas tested in SeftonSquarely mid-table for Sefton, between L21 on 9.4 and L10 on 8.8.
Questions about PR9 water
Is PR9 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, PR9 (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 PR9 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in PR9 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 PR9?
PR9 (Sefton) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is PR9 water hard or soft?
Water in PR9 (Sefton) has a hardness of 253 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 PR9?
PR9 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 PR9 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for PR9 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 44 river and groundwater samples from 3 sites within 10 km of PR9, the highest being PFOA at 0.021 µg/L about 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 PR9?
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 PR9, 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 explainedBoiling water taps and hard waterHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near PR9
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 PR9.