Tap water in TS19, Stockton-on-TeesSafe to drink.Slightly hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 2,881 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
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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 TS19 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.
Fluoride came closest to a limit, at 9% of it. 18 of 18 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Fluoride9%
- Nickel9%
- Nitrate8%
- Aluminium6%
- Colour6%
- Turbidity5%
- Bromate5%
- Iron5%
- Antimony3%
- Selenium2%
- Boron2%
- Chromium1%
- Nitrite1%
- Lead<1%
- Copper<1%
- Arsenic<1%
- Manganese<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Conductivity 300 µS/cm
- pH 7.9 pH
All 20 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.012 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.00028 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Colour | 1.1 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 6% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Conductivity | 300 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| pH | 7.9 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Iron | 0.0097 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Bromate | 0.0005 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Nitrite | 0.0061 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00007 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.015 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 0.14 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 9% |
| Nickel | 0.0018 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 9% |
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Nitrate | 4.1 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 8% |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Copper | 0.019 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Lead | 0.000098 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
158mg 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 Lustrum Beck Catchment (trib of Tees), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Lustrum Beck Catchment (trib of 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 and insects and other small river life. 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
50
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 2 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.013 µg/L, at RSN1800 Bassleton Beck at Thornaby Wood, 6.1 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
TS19 in short
Tap water in TS19 (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.
- 3rd cleanest of 8 areas tested in MiddlesbroughOnly 2 areas in Middlesbrough scored higher. The best is TS15 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 2 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFOA about 6.1 km away. What was measured
Questions about TS19 water
Is TS19 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, TS19 (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 TS19 water?
We tested 20 contaminants in TS19 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 TS19?
TS19 (Stockton-on-Tees) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is TS19 water hard or soft?
Water in TS19 (Stockton-on-Tees) has a hardness of 158 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately hard. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in TS19?
TS19 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 TS19 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for TS19 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 50 river and groundwater samples from 2 sites within 10 km of TS19, the highest being PFOA at 0.013 µg/L about 6.1 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 TS19?
The Environment Agency rated the Lustrum Beck Catchment (trib of 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 and insects and other small river life. 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 TS19, 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 TS19
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.96 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 | 0.00013 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Nickel | 0.0017 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Chromium | 0.00563 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00716 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.025 mg/L | None |
Get alerts for your area
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