Tap water in TS15, Stockton-on-TeesSafe to drink.Slightly hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 1,745 samples, 20 substances, latest on 12 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.7 / 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 TS15 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.
Aluminium came closest to a limit, at 7% of it. 18 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Aluminium7%
- Fluoride6%
- Colour6%
- Nickel6%
- Turbidity5%
- Bromate5%
- Nitrate4%
- Iron4%
- Antimony3%
- Selenium2%
- Manganese2%
- Copper1%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite1%
- Boron1%
- Arsenic<1%
- Lead<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Conductivity 290 µS/cm
- pH 7.9 pH
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 0.00075 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Colour | 1.2 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 6% |
| Iron | 0.0073 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Aluminium | 0.014 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 7% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Conductivity | 290 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| pH | 7.9 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Fluoride | 0.097 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Lead | 0.000065 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.011 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 1% |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Arsenic | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Copper | 0.028 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 1% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.0011 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 6% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Nitrate | 2 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 4% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
150mg 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 Saltergill Beck Catchment (trib of Tees), rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Saltergill Beck Catchment (trib of Tees) 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
108
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 4 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.013 µg/L, at RSN1800 Bassleton Beck at Thornaby Wood, 5.0 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
TS15 in short
Tap water in TS15 (Stockton-on-Tees) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the Stockton-on-Tees Central zone and scores 9.7 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 12 December 2025.
- The cleanest tap water of the 8 areas tested in MiddlesbroughTS15 scores 9.7 out of 10, ahead of TS18 in second place on 9.7. Every area in Middlesbrough
- 0.7 points above the national average of 9Cleaner than the typical tested district in the UK. Compare every area
- PFAS found at 4 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFOA about 5 km away. What was measured
Questions about TS15 water
Is TS15 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, TS15 (Stockton-on-Tees) water scores 9.7/10, which is safe. 0 of 20 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Northumbrian Water.
What contaminants are in TS15 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in TS15 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 TS15?
TS15 (Stockton-on-Tees) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is TS15 water hard or soft?
Water in TS15 (Stockton-on-Tees) has a hardness of 150 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately hard. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in TS15?
TS15 water scored 9.7/10 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 TS15 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for TS15 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 108 river and groundwater samples from 4 sites within 10 km of TS15, the highest being PFOA at 0.013 µg/L about 5 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 TS15?
The Environment Agency rated the Saltergill Beck Catchment (trib of Tees) 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 TS15, 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 TS15
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | 0.0248 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| pH | 7.76 pH | None |
| Temperature | 17.7 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 302 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.026 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 2.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.01 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.26 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 8.18 mg/L | None |
| Cadmium | 0.000183 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Chromium | 0.0203 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0113 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.00244 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Aluminium | 0.09 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00494 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
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