Tap water in TS26, HartlepoolSafe to drink.Slightly hard.
Supplied by Northumbrian Water. 110 samples, 21 substances, latest on 30 October 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.1 / 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 TS26 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 73% of it. 17 of 19 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Fluoride73%
- Nitrite26%
- Nitrate13%
- Bromate12%
- Turbidity5%
- Boron5%
- Colour4%
- Antimony3%
- Nickel3%
- Iron3%
- Mercury2%
- Selenium2%
- Aluminium2%
- Lead1%
- Chromium1%
- Arsenic1%
- Copper<1%
- Manganese<1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Conductivity 1000 µS/cm
- pH 7.5 pH
All 21 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium | 0.00067 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Selenium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Conductivity | 1000 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Boron | 0.048 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 5% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Iron | 0.0052 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.00028 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Nitrate | 6.4 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 13% |
| Antimony | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 3% |
| Copper | 0.019 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Bromate | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 12% |
| Nickel | 0.00058 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 3% |
| Nitrite | 0.13 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 26% |
| Mercury | 0.000022 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 2% |
| Fluoride | 1.1 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 73% |
| Colour | 0.81 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 4% |
| Lead | 0.00015 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Aluminium | 0.0039 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 2% |
| pH | 7.5 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Arsenic | 0.0001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Cadmium | 0.000018 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
143mg of limescale minerals in every litre, typical for the TS area. TS26 has no reading of its own.
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 Hart Beck from Source to Sea (Hartlepool), rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Hart Beck from Source to Sea (Hartlepool) 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 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
3
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 2 sites. The highest was PFHxS (linear) at 0.0015 µg/L, at Borehole 25-5-50B Camerons (Silver St), 1.6 km away, in October 2024. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Middlesbrough · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
TS26 in short
Tap water in TS26 (Hartlepool) is supplied by Northumbrian Water in the Hartlepool Central zone and scores 9.1 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 21 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 30 October 2024.
- Fluoride is the reading closest to its limit, at 73% of the 1.5 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- PFAS found at 2 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFHxS (linear) about 1.6 km away. What was measured
- Moderately hard water at 143 mg/LSome scale over time across the TS postcode area, but not enough to justify a softener for most homes. How hardness is measured
Questions about TS26 water
Is TS26 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, TS26 (Hartlepool) water scores 9.1/10, which is safe. 0 of 21 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Northumbrian Water.
What contaminants are in TS26 water?
We tested 21 contaminants in TS26 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 TS26?
TS26 (Hartlepool) is supplied by Northumbrian Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is TS26 water hard or soft?
No hardness reading has been published for TS26 itself. Across the TS postcode area the typical value is 143 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately hard. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in TS26?
TS26 water scored 9.1/10 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 TS26 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for TS26 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 3 river and groundwater samples from 2 sites within 10 km of TS26, the highest being PFHxS (linear) at 0.0015 µg/L about 1.6 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 TS26?
The Environment Agency rated the Hart Beck from Source to Sea (Hartlepool) 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 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 TS26, 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 kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near TS26
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 13.5 °C | None |
| pH | 7.95 pH | None |
| Conductivity | 2376 µS/cm | None |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for TS26.