Tap water in WA13, WarringtonSafe to drink.Slightly hard.
Supplied by United Utilities. 963 samples, 16 substances, latest on 17 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.2 / 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 WA13 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.
Nitrate came closest to a limit, at 40% of it. 15 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate40%
- Iron22%
- Trihalomethanes22%
- Ammonia11%
- Bromate7%
- Antimony6%
- Lead6%
- Turbidity4%
- Nickel4%
- Aluminium3%
- Manganese3%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.00622 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 3% |
| Iron | 0.043 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 22% |
| Manganese | 0.00138 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 3% |
| 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% |
| Turbidity | 0.16 NTU | 4 NTU | 4% |
| 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% |
| Nitrate | 20.2 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 40% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0215 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 22% |
| Bromate | 0.0007 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
121mg 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 Bollin (Ashley Mill to Manchester Ship Canal), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Bollin (Ashley Mill to Manchester Ship Canal) 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, fish 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
547
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, 9.0 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
WA13 in short
Tap water in WA13 (Warrington) is supplied by United Utilities in the Warrington Central zone and scores 9.2 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 17 December 2024.
- 5th cleanest of 6 areas tested in Warrington1 area in Warrington scored lower. The best is WA2 on 9.4. Every area in Warrington
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 40% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- PFAS found at 12 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFOS (linear) about 9 km away. What was measured
Questions about WA13 water
Is WA13 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, WA13 (Warrington) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in WA13 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in WA13 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 WA13?
WA13 (Warrington) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is WA13 water hard or soft?
Water in WA13 (Warrington) has a hardness of 121 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately hard. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in WA13?
WA13 water scored 9.2/10 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 WA13 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for WA13 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 547 river and groundwater samples from 12 sites within 10 km of WA13, the highest being PFOS (linear) at 0.098 µg/L about 9 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 WA13?
The Environment Agency rated the Bollin (Ashley Mill to Manchester Ship Canal) 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, fish 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in WA13, 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 WarringtonUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near WA13
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonia | 1.2 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| pH | 7.17 pH | None |
| Temperature | 15.9 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 547 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 14 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.24 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 2 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 4.5 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.000817 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 157 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.00609 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Arsenic | 0.00261 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00233 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0186 mg/L | None |
| Chromium | 0.00227 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
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