Tap water in WA12, St. HelensSafe to drink.Hard.
Supplied by United Utilities. 1,917 samples, 16 substances, latest on 31 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.4 / 10
The tank is as full as the score. The specks are the minerals that make water hard.
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 188 mg/L a softener is the only thing that stops limescale. Filters do not soften water.
It pays for itself in most homes at this hardness, through a boiler that stays efficient and appliances that last.
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
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What's in a glass of WA12 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.
Trihalomethanes came closest to a limit, at 26% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes26%
- Nitrate12%
- Ammonia11%
- Antimony6%
- Bromate6%
- Lead6%
- Turbidity5%
- Aluminium4%
- Nickel4%
- Iron3%
- Selenium2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Manganese1%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 0.007 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Aluminium | 0.00782 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Manganese | 0.00054 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 1% |
| Cadmium | 0.00009 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Chromium | 0.00083 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Antimony | 0.00031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 6% |
| Selenium | 0.00085 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 2% |
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Copper | 0.0000104 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Nickel | 0.00077 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 4% |
| Lead | 0.00055 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0257 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 26% |
| Bromate | 0.00056 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| Nitrite | 0.0075 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 6.2 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 12% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
188mg of limescale minerals in every litre
This is the water that furs up kettles
Hard on the UK scale. It is fine to drink. It is hard on boilers, showers, skin and anything that heats water, and a jug or tap filter will not change that.
Softener quotes for WA12
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Your river is the Millingford (Newton) Brook, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Millingford (Newton) Brook as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life, fish and water plants and algae. 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
382
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 12 sites. The highest was PFOS (linear) at 0.098 µg/L, at Solvay Interox Borehole No 1 Wrb No SJ58/71 Appn No 1391, 9.5 km away, in July 2023. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Warrington · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
WA12 in short
Tap water in WA12 (St. Helens) is supplied by United Utilities in the St. Helens Central zone and scores 9.4 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 16 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 31 December 2024.
- Hard water at 188 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in WA12. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 4 areas tested in St. HelensOnly 1 area in St. Helens scored higher. The best is WA11 on 9.4.
- PFAS found at 12 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFOS (linear) about 9.5 km away. What was measured
Questions about WA12 water
Is WA12 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, WA12 (St. Helens) water scores 9.4/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in WA12 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in WA12 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 WA12?
WA12 (St. Helens) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is WA12 water hard or soft?
Water in WA12 (St. Helens) has a hardness of 188 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in WA12?
WA12 water scored 9.4/10 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 WA12 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for WA12 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 382 river and groundwater samples from 12 sites within 10 km of WA12, the highest being PFOS (linear) at 0.098 µg/L about 9.5 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 WA12?
The Environment Agency rated the Millingford (Newton) Brook as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life, fish and water plants and algae. 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 WA12, 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
- Best Water Softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared, with real costs
- Do I Need a Water Softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and a postcode check
- UK Water Hardness MapIs your water hard or soft, and does it matter?
- Do I need a water softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and when the answer is no
- Best water softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared
- Water softener costUnit, fitting and salt, and how long the payback takes
- Installation explainedWhere it goes, the bypass tap, the drain, DIY or plumber
- Harvey vs KineticoThe two premium twin-cylinder brands, side by side
- Softener salt guideTablet, block or granular, and how much you get through
- Salt-free softenersConditioners and electronic descalers, honestly assessed
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near WA12
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 WA12.