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England and Wales average 9.0

Tap water in ST16, StaffordSafe to drink.

Supplied by Severn Trent. 1,496 samples, 22 substances, latest on 29 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.

See the filter we recommendSee everything that was tested

8.9 / 10

The tank is as full as the score.

What to do about it

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What's in a glass of ST16 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.

Arsenic came closest to a limit, at 51% of it. 17 of 19 substances used under a quarter of theirs.

0%25%50%75%limitLegal limitCadmium: 0.00001 mg/L, <1% of the 0.005 mg/L limitCadmium<1%Selenium: 0.00022 mg/L, <1% of the 0.04 mg/L limitSelenium<1%Nitrite: 0.003 mg/L, <1% of the 0.5 mg/L limitNitrite<1%Chromium: 0.00042 mg/L, <1% of the 0.05 mg/L limitChromium<1%Antimony: 0.000065 mg/L, 1% of the 0.005 mg/L limitAntimony1%Manganese: 0.00073 mg/L, 1% of the 0.05 mg/L limitManganese1%Mercury: 0.000022 mg/L, 2% of the 0.001 mg/L limitMercury2%Boron: 0.03 mg/L, 3% of the 1 mg/L limitBoron3%Turbidity: 0.12 NTU, 3% of the 4 NTU limitTurbidity3%Iron: 0.007 mg/L, 3% of the 0.2 mg/L limitIron3%Colour: 0.8 mg/L Pt/Co, 4% of the 20 mg/L Pt/Co limitColour4%Nickel: 0.0015 mg/L, 8% of the 0.02 mg/L limitNickel8%Copper: 0.154 mg/L, 8% of the 2 mg/L limitCopper8%Fluoride: 0.12 mg/L, 8% of the 1.5 mg/L limitFluoride8%Lead: 0.0009 mg/L, 9% of the 0.01 mg/L limitLead9%Trihalomethanes: 0.00977 mg/L, 10% of the 0.1 mg/L limitTrihalomethanes10%Aluminium: 0.021 mg/L, 11% of the 0.2 mg/L limitAluminium11%Nitrate: 23.8 mg/L, 48% of the 50 mg/L limitNitrate48%Arsenic: 0.00513 mg/L, 51% of the 0.01 mg/L limitArsenic51%
  1. Arsenic51%
  2. Nitrate48%
  3. Aluminium11%
  4. Trihalomethanes10%
  5. Lead9%
  6. Fluoride8%
  7. Copper8%
  8. Nickel8%
  9. Colour4%
  10. Iron3%
  11. Boron3%
  12. Turbidity3%
  13. Mercury2%
  14. Manganese1%
  15. Antimony1%
  16. Chromium<1%
  17. Nitrite<1%
  18. Selenium<1%
  19. Cadmium<1%
  • pH 7.57 pH
  • Conductivity 687 µS/cm
  • Phosphate 0.053 mg/L
All 22 results as a table
SubstanceResultLegal limitShare of limit
Boron0.03 mg/L1 mg/L
3%
Trihalomethanes0.00977 mg/L0.1 mg/L
10%
pH7.57 pHNo legal limit–
Nitrate23.8 mg/L50 mg/L
48%
Nitrite0.003 mg/L0.5 mg/L
<1%
Aluminium0.021 mg/L0.2 mg/L
11%
Iron0.007 mg/L0.2 mg/L
3%
Colour0.8 mg/L Pt/Co20 mg/L Pt/Co
4%
Turbidity0.12 NTU4 NTU
3%
Manganese0.00073 mg/L0.05 mg/L
1%
Copper0.154 mg/L2 mg/L
8%
Fluoride0.12 mg/L1.5 mg/L
8%
Arsenic0.00513 mg/L0.01 mg/L
51%
Cadmium0.00001 mg/L0.005 mg/L
<1%
Chromium0.00042 mg/L0.05 mg/L
<1%
Mercury0.000022 mg/L0.001 mg/L
2%
Nickel0.0015 mg/L0.02 mg/L
8%
Lead0.0009 mg/L0.01 mg/L
9%
Antimony0.000065 mg/L0.005 mg/L
1%
Selenium0.00022 mg/L0.04 mg/L
<1%
Conductivity687 µS/cmNo legal limit–
Phosphate0.053 mg/LNo legal limit–
Outside your tap

Your river is the Sow - Doxey Bk to R Penk, rated bad

The Environment Agency rated the Sow - Doxey Bk to R Penk as bad for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is severely damaged, with most of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by fish, water plants and algae and specific pollutants. 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. Its ecological rating has dropped since the previous assessment.

None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England

ST16 in short

Tap water in ST16 (Stafford) is supplied by Severn Trent in the Stafford Central zone and scores 8.9 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 22 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 29 December 2025.

  • Arsenic is the reading closest to its limit, at 51% of the 0.01 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
  • 4th cleanest of 7 areas tested in StaffordSquarely mid-table for Stafford, between ST12 on 9 and ST21 on 8.3.
  • Scores higher than 3 of 6 neighbouring districtsWater here is typical for the immediate area, which usually means the same treatment works and the same supply zone.

Next door

ST218.3 out of 10ST208.3 out of 10ST129.0 out of 10ST158.8 out of 10ST179.0 out of 10ST189.0 out of 10

Questions about ST16 water

Is ST16 tap water safe to drink?

Based on the latest tests, ST16 (Stafford) water scores 8.9/10, which is safe. 0 of 22 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.

What contaminants are in ST16 water?

We tested 22 contaminants in ST16 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.

Who supplies water in ST16?

ST16 (Stafford) is supplied by Severn Trent. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.

Should I use a water filter in ST16?

ST16 water scored 8.9/10 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 ST16 water?

No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for ST16, 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 ST16?

The Environment Agency rated the Sow - Doxey Bk to R Penk as bad for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is severely damaged, with most of the expected wildlife missing. It is held back by fish, water plants and algae and specific pollutants. 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. Its ecological rating has dropped since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in ST16, which is treated before it reaches homes.

Keep reading

How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map

River and groundwater readings near ST16

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.

SubstanceReadingDrinking water limit
pH7.78 pHNone
Temperature17.4 °CNone
Conductivity962 µS/cmNone
Nitrate8.6 mg/L50 mg/L
Nitrite0.033 mg/L0.5 mg/L
Phosphate0.24 mg/LNone
Dissolved Oxygen7.15 mg/LNone
Ammonia0.037 mg/L0.5 mg/L
PFAS (total)0.00171 µg/LNone

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Source: Severn Trent test results, published through the Stream Water Data Portal; rivers and PFAS from the Environment Agency. Page updated . How we score · Where the data comes from