Tap water in WF4, WakefieldSafe to drink.Moderately soft.
Supplied by Yorkshire Water. 1,458 samples, 25 substances, latest on 21 September 2026. 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
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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 WF4 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 46% of it. 17 of 20 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate46%
- Lead35%
- Trihalomethanes31%
- Colour15%
- Bromate10%
- Aluminium6%
- Nitrite6%
- Iron5%
- Nickel5%
- Mercury4%
- Manganese4%
- Fluoride3%
- Turbidity3%
- Arsenic2%
- Boron2%
- Antimony2%
- Selenium1%
- Cadmium<1%
- Chromium<1%
- Copper<1%
- E. coli none found
- Coliform Bacteria none found
- Phosphate 1.14 mg/L
- Conductivity 548 µS/cm
All 25 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. coli | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Coliform Bacteria | 0 count/100ml | Must be zero | None found |
| Phosphate | 1.14 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Aluminium | 0.0113 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Colour | 3 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 15% |
| Iron | 0.00928 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Manganese | 0.00178 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 4% |
| Conductivity | 548 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.11 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Lead | 0.00345 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 35% |
| Nitrite | 0.028 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
| Nitrate | 22.9 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 46% |
| Bromate | 0.001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 10% |
| Cadmium | 0.000031 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | <1% |
| Boron | 0.0221 mg/L | 1 mg/L | 2% |
| Nickel | 0.0009 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 5% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0314 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 31% |
| Copper | 0.00196 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Chromium | 0.00019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| Fluoride | 0.05 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L | 3% |
| Antimony | 0.000109 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Selenium | 0.00043 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 1% |
| Arsenic | 0.00024 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 2% |
| Mercury | 0.00004 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L | 4% |
| Hardness (as CaCO3) | 18.7 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
119mg 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 Calder from River Colne to River Chald, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Calder from River Colne to River Chald 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.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
67
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 4 sites. The highest was PFBS at 0.047 µg/L, at SSN1573 Ossett Dike Trib of Lupset Beck, 3.2 km away, in December 2025. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Leeds · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
WF4 in short
Tap water in WF4 (Wakefield) is supplied by Yorkshire Water in the Wakefield Central zone and scores 9.2 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 25 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 21 September 2026.
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 46% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- 4th cleanest of 11 areas tested in WakefieldOnly 3 areas in Wakefield scored higher. The best is WF2 on 9.5.
- PFAS found at 4 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFBS about 3.2 km away. What was measured
Questions about WF4 water
Is WF4 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, WF4 (Wakefield) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 0 of 25 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Yorkshire Water.
What contaminants are in WF4 water?
We tested 25 contaminants in WF4 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 WF4?
WF4 (Wakefield) is supplied by Yorkshire Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is WF4 water hard or soft?
Water in WF4 (Wakefield) has a hardness of 119 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately soft. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in WF4?
WF4 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 WF4 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for WF4 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 67 river and groundwater samples from 4 sites within 10 km of WF4, the highest being PFBS at 0.047 µg/L about 3.2 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 WF4?
The Environment Agency rated the Calder from River Colne to River Chald 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. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in WF4, 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 WF4
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 WF4.