Tap water in TS1, MiddlesbroughSafe to drink.Slightly hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 2,742 samples, 20 substances, latest on 18 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.6 / 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 TS1 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 13% of it. 18 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nickel13%
- Nitrate12%
- Iron8%
- Aluminium8%
- Colour7%
- Fluoride6%
- Bromate5%
- Turbidity5%
- Antimony3%
- Copper2%
- Selenium2%
- Lead2%
- Manganese2%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite1%
- Boron1%
- Arsenic<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- pH 7.9 pH
- Conductivity 260 µS/cm
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Nickel | 0.0025 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 13% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Iron | 0.015 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 8% |
| Arsenic | 0.00007 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Manganese | 0.00082 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Aluminium | 0.015 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 8% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Copper | 0.049 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.094 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Colour | 1.3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 7% |
| Lead | 0.00018 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 6.2 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 12% |
| pH | 7.9 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Conductivity | 260 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Boron | 0.012 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 1% |
143mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Middling hardness. Some scale, slowly
Below the point where a softener pays for itself. Descaling the kettle now and then is all most homes need.
Your river is the Marton West Beck Catchment (trib of Tidal Tees), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Marton West Beck Catchment (trib of Tidal Tees) 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. 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
58
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 3 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.013 µg/L, at RSN1800 Bassleton Beck at Thornaby Wood, 6.3 km away, in June 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Middlesbrough · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
TS1 in short
Tap water in TS1 (Middlesbrough) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the Middlesbrough Central zone and scores 9.6 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 18 December 2025.
- 3rd cleanest of 7 areas tested in MiddlesbroughOnly 2 areas in Middlesbrough scored higher. The best is TS5 on 9.7. Every area in Middlesbrough
- 0.6 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
- PFAS found at 3 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFOA about 6.3 km away. What was measured
Questions about TS1 water
Is TS1 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, TS1 (Middlesbrough) water scores 9.6/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Northumbrian Water.
What contaminants are in TS1 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in TS1 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 TS1?
TS1 (Middlesbrough) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is TS1 water hard or soft?
Water in TS1 (Middlesbrough) has a hardness of 143 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately hard. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in TS1?
TS1 water scored 9.6/10 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 TS1 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for TS1 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 58 river and groundwater samples from 3 sites within 10 km of TS1, the highest being PFOA at 0.013 µg/L about 6.3 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 TS1?
The Environment Agency rated the Marton West Beck Catchment (trib of Tidal Tees) 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. 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 TS1, 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 MiddlesbroughUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near TS1
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 0.058 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Iron | 0.739 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 7.9 pH | None |
| Temperature | 16.3 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 1050 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.067 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 1.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.023 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.11 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 6.89 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.00285 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.0001 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 362 mg/L | None |
| Chromium | 0.00166 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.028 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.0041 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Aluminium | 0.031 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Arsenic | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
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