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England and Wales average 9.0

Tap water in ST17, StaffordSafe to drink.

Supplied by Severn Trent. 1,338 samples, 22 substances, latest on 22 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.

See the filter we recommendSee everything that was tested

9.0 / 10

The tank is as full as the score.

What to do about it

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What's in a glass of ST17 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 70% of it. 17 of 19 substances used under a quarter of theirs.

0%25%50%75%limitLegal limitNitrite: 0.003 mg/L, <1% of the 0.5 mg/L limitNitrite<1%Cadmium: 0.00003 mg/L, <1% of the 0.005 mg/L limitCadmium<1%Copper: 0.0164 mg/L, <1% of the 2 mg/L limitCopper<1%Chromium: 0.00042 mg/L, <1% of the 0.05 mg/L limitChromium<1%Selenium: 0.00038 mg/L, <1% of the 0.04 mg/L limitSelenium<1%Manganese: 0.00073 mg/L, 1% of the 0.05 mg/L limitManganese1%Lead: 0.00019 mg/L, 2% of the 0.01 mg/L limitLead2%Mercury: 0.000022 mg/L, 2% of the 0.001 mg/L limitMercury2%Turbidity: 0.12 NTU, 3% of the 4 NTU limitTurbidity3%Antimony: 0.000159 mg/L, 3% of the 0.005 mg/L limitAntimony3%Boron: 0.033 mg/L, 3% of the 1 mg/L limitBoron3%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: 0.001 mg/L, 5% of the 0.02 mg/L limitNickel5%Fluoride: 0.08 mg/L, 5% of the 1.5 mg/L limitFluoride5%Trihalomethanes: 0.0102 mg/L, 10% of the 0.1 mg/L limitTrihalomethanes10%Aluminium: 0.021 mg/L, 11% of the 0.2 mg/L limitAluminium11%Arsenic: 0.00359 mg/L, 36% of the 0.01 mg/L limitArsenic36%Nitrate: 34.9 mg/L, 70% of the 50 mg/L limitNitrate70%
  1. Nitrate70%
  2. Arsenic36%
  3. Aluminium11%
  4. Trihalomethanes10%
  5. Fluoride5%
  6. Nickel5%
  7. Colour4%
  8. Iron3%
  9. Boron3%
  10. Antimony3%
  11. Turbidity3%
  12. Mercury2%
  13. Lead2%
  14. Manganese1%
  15. Selenium<1%
  16. Chromium<1%
  17. Copper<1%
  18. Nitrite<1%
  19. Cadmium<1%
  • pH 7.49 pH
  • Conductivity 718 µS/cm
  • Phosphate 1.22 mg/L
All 22 results as a table
SubstanceResultLegal limitShare of limit
Boron0.033 mg/L1 mg/L
3%
Trihalomethanes0.0102 mg/L0.1 mg/L
10%
pH7.49 pHNo legal limit–
Nitrate34.9 mg/L50 mg/L
70%
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%
Copper0.0164 mg/L2 mg/L
<1%
Fluoride0.08 mg/L1.5 mg/L
5%
Arsenic0.00359 mg/L0.01 mg/L
36%
Cadmium0.00003 mg/L0.005 mg/L
<1%
Chromium0.00042 mg/L0.05 mg/L
<1%
Mercury0.000022 mg/L0.001 mg/L
2%
Nickel0.001 mg/L0.02 mg/L
5%
Lead0.00019 mg/L0.01 mg/L
2%
Antimony0.000159 mg/L0.005 mg/L
3%
Selenium0.00038 mg/L0.04 mg/L
<1%
Conductivity718 µS/cmNo legal limit–
Phosphate1.22 mg/LNo legal limit–
Outside your tap

Your river is the Penk - Whiston Bk to R Sow, rated poor

The Environment Agency rated the Penk - Whiston Bk to R Sow 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

ST17 in short

Tap water in ST17 (Stafford) is supplied by Severn Trent in the Stafford Central zone and scores 9.0 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 22 December 2025.

  • Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 70% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
  • 2nd cleanest of 7 areas tested in StaffordOnly 1 area in Stafford scored higher. The best is ST12 on 9.
  • Scores higher than 4 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 10ST168.9 out of 10ST189.0 out of 10

Questions about ST17 water

Is ST17 tap water safe to drink?

Based on the latest tests, ST17 (Stafford) water scores 9/10, which is safe. 0 of 22 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.

What contaminants are in ST17 water?

We tested 22 contaminants in ST17 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.

Who supplies water in ST17?

ST17 (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 ST17?

ST17 water scored 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 ST17 water?

No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for ST17, 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 ST17?

The Environment Agency rated the Penk - Whiston Bk to R Sow 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 ST17, 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 ST17

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
Manganese0.059 mg/L0.05 mg/L
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
Lead0.00016 mg/L0.01 mg/L
Cadmium0.000033 mg/L0.005 mg/L
Zinc0.0065 mg/LNone
Nickel0.002 mg/L0.02 mg/L
Arsenic0.0023 mg/L0.01 mg/L
Turbidity2 NTU4 NTU
Copper0.0034 mg/L2 mg/L
Iron0.063 mg/L0.2 mg/L
Boron0.12 mg/L1 mg/L

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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