Tap water in WA3, WarringtonSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 2,571 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
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 WA3 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 22% of it. 16 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes22%
- Aluminium13%
- Ammonia11%
- Bromate8%
- Antimony6%
- Nitrate6%
- Lead6%
- Turbidity5%
- Iron5%
- Nickel4%
- Selenium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Cadmium2%
- Chromium2%
- Manganese2%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turbidity | 0.2 NTU | 4 NTU | 5% |
| Aluminium | 0.0252 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 13% |
| Iron | 0.01 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Manganese | 0.00079 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0219 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 22% |
| Bromate | 0.00075 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 8% |
| 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% |
| 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% |
| Nitrate | 2.79 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 6% |
| Nitrite | 0.0098 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.054 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 11% |
59mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Soft water. Kind to kettles, boilers and skin
You will not need a softener here, and you will use less soap and detergent than most of England.
Your river is the Glaze, rated poor
The Environment Agency rated the Glaze 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 fish, insects and other small river life 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. 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
349
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 12 sites. The highest was PFBS at 0.037 µg/L, at SSN0058 Reed Brook Ds Ochre Flash, 9.2 km away, in January 2026. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Warrington · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
WA3 in short
Tap water in WA3 (Warrington) is supplied by United Utilities in the Warrington 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.
- 2nd cleanest of 6 areas tested in WarringtonOnly 1 area in Warrington scored higher. The best is WA2 on 9.4. Every area in Warrington
- Soft water at 59 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in WA3, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- PFAS found at 12 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFBS about 9.2 km away. What was measured
Questions about WA3 water
Is WA3 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, WA3 (Warrington) 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 WA3 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in WA3 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 WA3?
WA3 (Warrington) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is WA3 water hard or soft?
Water in WA3 (Warrington) has a hardness of 59 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in WA3?
WA3 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 WA3 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for WA3 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 349 river and groundwater samples from 12 sites within 10 km of WA3, the highest being PFBS at 0.037 µg/L about 9.2 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 WA3?
The Environment Agency rated the Glaze 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 fish, insects and other small river life 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in WA3, 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 WA3
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 0.29 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Iron | 0.17 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| pH | 7.68 pH | None |
| Temperature | 17.2 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 713 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.089 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 9.8 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.069 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.11 mg/L | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 7.4 mg/L | None |
| Lead | 0.00016 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.000032 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.016 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.0075 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.0037 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| PFAS (total) | 0.011 µg/L | None |
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