Tap water in RM20, ThurrockSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by Essex & Suffolk Water. 1,687 samples, 21 substances, latest on 18 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.2 / 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 275 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
We earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we put first. How we make money
What's in a glass of RM20 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.
Nitrite came closest to a limit, at 32% of it. 18 of 19 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrite32%
- Nitrate18%
- Fluoride18%
- Iron16%
- Nickel13%
- Colour10%
- Arsenic8%
- Boron7%
- Turbidity6%
- Aluminium6%
- Antimony6%
- Bromate5%
- Mercury2%
- Selenium2%
- Copper1%
- Chromium1%
- Lead<1%
- Manganese<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- pH 7.6 pH
- Conductivity 630 µS/cm
All 21 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickel | 0.0025 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 13% |
| Nitrite | 0.16 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 32% |
| Nitrate | 9.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 18% |
| Mercury | 0.000022 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Iron | 0.031 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 16% |
| Manganese | 0.00029 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Antimony | 0.0003 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| pH | 7.6 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Copper | 0.027 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 1% |
| Colour | 2 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 10% |
| Fluoride | 0.27 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 18% |
| Lead | 0.00007 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Turbidity | 0.24 NTU | 4 NTU | 6% |
| Conductivity | 630 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Arsenic | 0.00079 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 8% |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Boron | 0.067 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 7% |
275mg 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 RM20
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Your river is the Mardyke, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Mardyke 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, phosphate and fish. 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
RM20 in short
Tap water in RM20 (Thurrock) is supplied by Essex & Suffolk Water in the Thurrock Central zone and scores 9.2 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 21 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 18 December 2025.
- Very hard water at 275 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in RM20. How hardness is measured
- 3rd cleanest of 7 areas tested in ThurrockOnly 2 areas in Thurrock scored higher. The best is RM18 on 9.3.
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Nitrite at 32% of the 0.5 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about RM20 water
Is RM20 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, RM20 (Thurrock) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 0 of 21 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Essex & Suffolk Water.
What contaminants are in RM20 water?
We tested 21 contaminants in RM20 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in RM20?
RM20 (Thurrock) is supplied by Essex & Suffolk Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is RM20 water hard or soft?
Water in RM20 (Thurrock) has a hardness of 275 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 RM20?
RM20 water scored 9.2/10 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 RM20 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for RM20, 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 RM20?
The Environment Agency rated the Mardyke 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, phosphate and fish. 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 RM20, 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 RM20
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 13.6 NTU | 4 NTU |
| pH | 7.02 pH | None |
| Temperature | 16.9 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 741 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.12 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 5.7 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.14 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.74 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 1.29 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.000242 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Mercury | 0.0000175 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00301 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.00996 mg/L | None |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for RM20.