Tap water in SS14, BasildonSafe to drink.
Supplied by Essex & Suffolk Water. 1,990 samples, 18 substances, latest on 17 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.4 / 10
The tank is as full as the score.
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
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 SS14 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.
Nitrate came closest to a limit, at 38% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate38%
- Nickel14%
- Iron14%
- Colour8%
- Bromate7%
- Aluminium6%
- Antimony5%
- Turbidity4%
- Arsenic3%
- Selenium2%
- Copper2%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite1%
- Lead<1%
- Manganese<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Conductivity 690 µS/cm
- pH 7.4 pH
All 18 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 0.00028 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Colour | 1.5 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 8% |
| Nitrate | 19 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 38% |
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.028 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 14% |
| Conductivity | 690 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Turbidity | 0.14 NTU | 4 NTU | 4% |
| pH | 7.4 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Bromate | 0.00074 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00028 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 3% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.037 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Lead | 0.000065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Antimony | 0.00027 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 5% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.0029 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 14% |
Your river is the Crouch (A129 - Wickford), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Crouch (A129 - Wickford) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by phosphate, insects and other small river life and ammonia. 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
SS14 in short
Tap water in SS14 (Basildon) is supplied by Essex & Suffolk Water in the Basildon Central zone and scores 9.4 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 18 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 17 December 2025.
- 2nd cleanest of 8 areas tested in BasildonOnly 1 area in Basildon scored higher. The best is SS13 on 9.4.
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Nitrate at 38% of the 50 mg/L maximum. See every reading
- Scores higher than 6 of 7 neighbouring districtsWater here is typical for the immediate area, which usually means the same treatment works and the same supply zone.
Questions about SS14 water
Is SS14 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, SS14 (Basildon) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 18 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Essex & Suffolk Water.
What contaminants are in SS14 water?
We tested 18 contaminants in SS14 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in SS14?
SS14 (Basildon) is supplied by Essex & Suffolk Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Should I use a water filter in SS14?
SS14 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 SS14 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for SS14, 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 SS14?
The Environment Agency rated the Crouch (A129 - Wickford) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by phosphate, insects and other small river life and ammonia. 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 SS14, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- 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
- How to Test Your Tap WaterFrom DIY strips to professional lab analysis
- Best Water Filter Jug UKBRITA vs ZeroWater vs the rest, tested against real data
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near SS14
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 SS14.