65 postcode districts testedWater quality in North West England
According to TapWater.uk's analysis, North West England scores 9.3/10 for drinking water quality in 2026, based on data from 65 postcode districts. Water quality across Manchester, Liverpool, and Lancashire. Supplied by United Utilities.
9.3 / 10
65 areas tested · 1 supplier
Tap water in North West England has an average safety score of 9.3 out of 10 based on testing across 65 postcode districts. Water is supplied by United Utilities. The overall water quality is good. Data is sourced from the Environment Agency and water company testing via the Stream Water Data Portal.
Cities in North West England
Average water quality score by city.
66mg of limescale minerals in every litre, on average across North West England
North West England water is moderately soft
Hard starts at 180 mg/L, very hard at 250. Hardness varies by area; check your own postcode for the reading where you live.
River health around North West England
1 of the 28 rivers and waters that North West England drains into is rated good or high by the Environment Agency. All of them fail the chemical test, as every river in England does, because of long-lasting pollutants such as mercury and PFOS. This describes the rivers, not your tap water.
| River or water | Ecological health | Postcode districts |
|---|---|---|
| Ribble | Bad | PR0, PR1 |
| Wyre | Poor | FY6 |
| Irwell / Manchester Ship Canal (Irk to confluence with Upper Mersey) | Moderate | M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, M11, M12, M13 and 4 more |
| Tue Brook | Moderate | L4, L5, L6, L7, L9, L13, L15 |
| Mersey | Moderate | L1, L2, L3, L8, L17, L19 |
| Netherley Brook | Moderate | L16, L18, L25, L27 |
| Alt | Moderate | L11, L12, L14 |
| Irk (Wince to Irwell) | Moderate | M8, M9, M40 |
| Chorlton Brook (Princess Parkway to Mersey) | Moderate | M20, M21 |
| Hillylaid Pool - Main Dyke | Moderate | FY2, FY5 |
| Lostock DS Farington Weir | Moderate | PR25, PR26 |
| Main Drain (Ribble) | Moderate | FY1, FY4 |
Showing the 12 lowest rated of 28. Environment Agency classification, 2025. River health across England
Water suppliers
- United Utilities65 areas
All postcode areas in North West England
Every postcode district we monitor in this region.
FY1FY2FY3FY4FY5FY6FY7FY8L1L11L12L13L14L15L16L17L18L19L2L24L25L27L3L4L5L6L7L8L9M1M11M12M13M14M15M18M19M2M20M21M22M23M27M28M3M30M38M4M40M44M5M50M6M7M8M9PR0PR1PR11PR2PR25PR26PR3PR4PR5
Questions about North West England water
Is tap water safe in North West England?
Based on our analysis of 65 postcode districts in North West England, the average water quality score is 9.3/10, which is safe. Water is supplied by United Utilities.
Which area has the best water in North West England?
M27 (Salford) has the highest water quality score in North West England at 9.6/10.
Which area has the worst water in North West England?
FY4 (Blackpool) has the lowest water quality score in North West England at 8.4/10. Check the postcode page for details on specific contaminants.
Is North West England water hard or soft?
Water in North West England has an average hardness of 66 mg/L CaCO₃, which is classified as moderately soft. Hardness varies by area — check your postcode for exact levels.
Who supplies water in North West England?
Water in North West England is supplied by United Utilities.
Data sourced from the Environment Agency Water Quality Archive and water company testing via the Stream Water Data Portal. See our methodology for how scores are calculated. Reviewed by the TapWater.uk research team.