Tap water in SK4, StockportSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 2,015 samples, 16 substances, latest on 21 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
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
BRITA Marella XL + MAXTRA PRO
£25typical price
Basic chlorine and taste improvement on a budget
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What's in a glass of SK4 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 42% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes42%
- Ammonia11%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Bromate5%
- Turbidity5%
- Nitrate5%
- Nickel4%
- Aluminium4%
- Iron3%
- Manganese3%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadmium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Antimony | 0.00031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Aluminium | 0.00765 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Selenium | 0.00085 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Iron | 0.007 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00132 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 3% |
| Bromate | 0.00052 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| 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 | 0.042 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 42% |
| Nitrate | 2.44 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 5% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
28mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Soft water. Kind to kettles, boilers and skin
You will not need a softener here, and you will use less soap and detergent than most of England.
Your river is the Mersey (upstream of Manchester Ship Canal), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Mersey (upstream of Manchester Ship Canal) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by organic pollution (bod) 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
147
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 12 sites. The highest was PFBA at 0.05 µg/L, at Holts Brewery Replacement Borehole SJ89/283, 9.1 km away, in January 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Manchester · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
SK4 in short
Tap water in SK4 (Stockport) is supplied by United Utilities in the Stockport 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 21 December 2024.
- The lowest score of the 8 areas tested in StockportSK4 scores 9.3 out of 10. The best in Stockport, SK8, scores 9.5. Every area in Stockport
- Trihalomethanes is the reading closest to its limit, at 42% of the 0.1 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- Soft water at 28 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in SK4, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
Questions about SK4 water
Is SK4 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, SK4 (Stockport) 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 SK4 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in SK4 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 SK4?
SK4 (Stockport) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is SK4 water hard or soft?
Water in SK4 (Stockport) has a hardness of 28 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in SK4?
SK4 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 SK4 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for SK4 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 147 river and groundwater samples from 12 sites within 10 km of SK4, the highest being PFBA at 0.05 µg/L about 9.1 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 SK4?
The Environment Agency rated the Mersey (upstream of Manchester Ship Canal) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by organic pollution (bod) 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 SK4, 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
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsAll of StockportUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near SK4
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 | 7.52 pH | None |
| Temperature | 15.1 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 308 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.18 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 2.8 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.055 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.11 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 9.65 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.0003 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.000014 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0061 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.0022 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Arsenic | 0.0011 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Turbidity | 1.8 NTU | 4 NTU |
| Copper | 0.0024 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Manganese | 0.029 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Iron | 0.13 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
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