Tap water in ST20, StaffordSafe to drink.
Supplied by Severn Trent. 388 samples, 20 substances, latest on 23 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit. One result, nitrate, sits close to the line.
8.3 / 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 ST20 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 75% of it. 14 of 17 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate75%
- Arsenic68%
- Nickel32%
- Lead13%
- Aluminium11%
- Copper7%
- Trihalomethanes7%
- Fluoride7%
- Colour4%
- Iron3%
- Turbidity3%
- Manganese1%
- Antimony1%
- Selenium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Nitrite<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- pH 7.49 pH
- Conductivity 599 µS/cm
- Phosphate 1.03 mg/L
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour | 0.8 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 4% |
| pH | 7.49 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.12 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Conductivity | 599 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Chromium | 0.00042 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.0063 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 32% |
| Lead | 0.0013 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 13% |
| Antimony | 0.000059 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Selenium | 0.00035 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 37.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 75% |
| Nitrite | 0.003 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | <1% |
| Aluminium | 0.021 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 11% |
| Iron | 0.007 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00073 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Copper | 0.147 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 7% |
| Fluoride | 0.1 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 7% |
| Arsenic | 0.00681 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 68% |
| Cadmium | 0.00001 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.00717 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 7% |
| Phosphate | 1.03 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
Your river is the Whiston Bk, rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Whiston Bk 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 fish, water plants and algae 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
ST20 in short
Tap water in ST20 (Stafford) is supplied by Severn Trent in the Stafford Central zone and scores 8.3 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 20 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 23 December 2025.
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 75% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed, but with less headroom than anything else tested here. Worth watching in the next round of results. See every reading
- 6th cleanest of 7 areas tested in Stafford1 area in Stafford scored lower. The best is ST12 on 9.
- 0.7 points below the national average of 9Below the typical tested district in the UK, which is worth knowing before you choose a filter. Compare every area
Questions about ST20 water
Is ST20 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, ST20 (Stafford) water scores 8.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Severn Trent.
What contaminants are in ST20 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in ST20 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in ST20?
ST20 (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 ST20?
ST20 water scored 8.3/10 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 ST20 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for ST20, 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 ST20?
The Environment Agency rated the Whiston Bk 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 fish, water plants and algae 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 ST20, 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 ST20
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 ST20.