Tap water in SK6, StockportSafe to drink.Moderately soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 2,840 samples, 16 substances, latest on 17 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.4 / 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 SK6 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.
Nickel came closest to a limit, at 17% of it. 16 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nickel17%
- Trihalomethanes17%
- Ammonia11%
- Antimony6%
- Iron6%
- Lead6%
- Nitrate4%
- Turbidity4%
- Aluminium4%
- Bromate3%
- Manganese2%
- Selenium2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.00779 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Iron | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.00109 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Turbidity | 0.16 NTU | 4 NTU | 4% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0171 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 17% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
| Nitrate | 2.04 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 4% |
| Cadmium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.00085 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Bromate | 0.00033 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrite | 0.0075 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Copper | 0.0000264 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00349 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 17% |
| Lead | 0.00055 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
72mg 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 Goyt (Etherow to Mersey), rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Goyt (Etherow to Mersey) as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by water plants and algae, 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
100
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 13 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.015 µg/L, at Cemex Concrete - Gorton, 9.8 km away, in July 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Manchester · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
SK6 in short
Tap water in SK6 (Stockport) is supplied by United Utilities in the Stockport Central zone and scores 9.4 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 17 December 2024.
- 5th cleanest of 8 areas tested in StockportSquarely mid-table for Stockport, between SK8 on 9.5 and SK4 on 9.3. Every area in Stockport
- PFAS found at 13 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was 6:2 FTSA about 9.8 km away. What was measured
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Nickel at 17% of the 0.02 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about SK6 water
Is SK6 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, SK6 (Stockport) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in SK6 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in SK6 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 SK6?
SK6 (Stockport) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is SK6 water hard or soft?
Water in SK6 (Stockport) has a hardness of 72 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately soft. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in SK6?
SK6 water scored 9.4/10 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 SK6 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for SK6 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 100 river and groundwater samples from 13 sites within 10 km of SK6, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.015 µg/L about 9.8 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 SK6?
The Environment Agency rated the Goyt (Etherow to Mersey) as poor for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is badly affected, with much of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by water plants and algae, 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 SK6, 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 SK6
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 | 7.91 pH | None |
| Temperature | 16.4 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 232 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 3.4 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.024 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.11 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 10.4 mg/L | None |
| Ammonia | 0.096 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.000029 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 48.6 mg/L | None |
| Zinc | 0.0064 mg/L | None |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for SK6.