Tap water in WN3, WiganSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by United Utilities. 1,698 samples, 16 substances, latest on 31 December 2024. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.5 / 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
We earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. It never changes which product we put first. How we make money
What's in a glass of WN3 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 24% of it. 16 of 16 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Trihalomethanes24%
- Bromate10%
- Ammonia6%
- Antimony6%
- Aluminium6%
- Lead6%
- Iron5%
- Nitrate4%
- Turbidity4%
- Nickel4%
- Selenium2%
- Cadmium2%
- Manganese2%
- Chromium2%
- Nitrite2%
- Copper<1%
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 6% |
| Iron | 0.009 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 5% |
| Manganese | 0.00084 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Turbidity | 0.16 NTU | 4 NTU | 4% |
| Bromate | 0.00101 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 10% |
| Trihalomethanes | 0.0244 mg/L | 0.1 mg/L | 24% |
| 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 | 2.04 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 4% |
| Nitrite | 0.0075 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Ammonia | 0.0321 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 6% |
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 Smithy Brook, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Smithy 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 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
135
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 7 sites. The highest was PFBS at 0.037 µg/L, at SSN0058 Reed Brook Ds Ochre Flash, 1.2 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
WN3 in short
Tap water in WN3 (Wigan) is supplied by United Utilities in the Wigan Central zone and scores 9.5 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.
- 3rd cleanest of 9 areas tested in WiganOnly 2 areas in Wigan scored higher. The best is M29 on 9.5. Every area in Wigan
- Soft water at 59 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in WN3, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- PFAS found at 7 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFBS about 1.2 km away. What was measured
Questions about WN3 water
Is WN3 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, WN3 (Wigan) water scores 9.5/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
What contaminants are in WN3 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in WN3 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 WN3?
WN3 (Wigan) is supplied by United Utilities. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is WN3 water hard or soft?
Water in WN3 (Wigan) 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 WN3?
WN3 water scored 9.5/10 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 WN3 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for WN3 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 135 river and groundwater samples from 7 sites within 10 km of WN3, the highest being PFBS at 0.037 µg/L about 1.2 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 WN3?
The Environment Agency rated the Smithy 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 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 WN3, 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 WiganUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near WN3
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 |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.82 pH | None |
| Temperature | 9 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 425 µS/cm | None |
| Ammonia | 0.342 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 2.89 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.0664 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.164 mg/L | None |
| Zinc | 0.00998 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.00242 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Aluminium | 0.018 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.00358 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 11 mg/L | None |
| Fluoride | 0.243 mg/L | 1.5 mg/L |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for WN3.