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Regulator record

CB10 tap water: what's in it?

Affinity Water: at least 20 tests failed UK drinking-water standards in 2025 (DWI, company-wide).

Some published DWI figures don't reconcile or identify a company, so we've left them out; the true number may be higher. England overall: 99.97% of tests met standards.

CB10 tap water quality report · 2026

  • Hardness

    Very hard

    Details

    Saffron Walden (supply zone) · 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025

  • Hosepipe ban

    In force in part of Affinity Water's area

    Details

    A ban has been reported, but the notice doesn't confirm which parts of the supply area it covers. Check with your water company before using a hosepipe. Checked 11 October 2026 at 02:34

    Environment Agency ↗

  • Storm overflows

    11 overflows within 10 km of CB10 centre

    Details

    86 spills in 2025

  • Lead pipes

    50% built before 1973

    Details

    Estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of CB10 we can match to council-tax records (100% of its postcodes) whose build period is known; the share with no recorded build period isn't published for these areas. Allowing for suppressed counts: 48–50%. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

    Ask Affinity Water for a free lead test

    Lead test kits

Who supplies water in CB10

  • Affinity Water

    Supplies 542 of 576 postcodes (94%)

    Affinity Water's phone number isn't in our records; their contact page lists it.

    Contact your supplier ↗

    We can't tell your sewerage company from official data for this area. It's named on your water bill.

    Affinity Water

Also supplied here: Cambridge Water (34 of 576 postcodes (6%))

Drinking-water test record

Affinity Water: 542 of 576 postcodes

Affinity Water

Affinity Water, company-wide

Regulator
DWI
Report year
2025
Failed tests
Not shown
Tests
189,963

The regulator's published total and its company rows disagree, so we don't show a count.

Failed tests by parameter
E. coli (confirmed)Failed tests: 4
Enterococci (confirmed)Failed tests: 2
IronFailed tests: 1
LeadFailed tests: 6
NickelFailed tests: 3
Total coliforms (confirmed)Failed tests: 4

Source: DWI england 2025, Annex B — dated 6 July 2026, read 13 October 2026

Source: DWI england 2025, Annex A — dated 6 July 2026, read 13 October 2026

England: 99.97% of tests met standards in 2025 (DWI).

Source: DWI england 2025, national compliance — dated 6 July 2026, read 13 October 2026

Cambridge Water: 34 of 576 postcodes

Cambridge Water

Cambridge Water, company-wide

Regulator
DWI
Report year
2025
Failed tests
Not shown
Tests
29,664

The regulator's published total and its company rows disagree, so we don't show a count.

Failed tests by parameter
Total coliforms (confirmed)Failed tests: 1

Source: DWI england 2025, Annex B — dated 6 July 2026, read 13 October 2026

Source: DWI england 2025, Annex A — dated 6 July 2026, read 13 October 2026

England: 99.97% of tests met standards in 2025 (DWI).

Source: DWI england 2025, national compliance — dated 6 July 2026, read 13 October 2026

How hard is the water in CB10?

57% of CB10's postcodes are in the Saffron Walden supply zone (Affinity Water): 360 mg/l, very hard.

Saffron Walden · Affinity Water (327 of 576 postcodes)

360 mg/l · 25.3 °Clark · 20.2 °dH · 36.0 °fH

Very hard

Zone average.

Saffron Walden (supply zone) · 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025

Source: Affinity Water — dated 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025, read 28 September 2026

5 identified supply zones in CB10

Saffron Walden · Affinity Water (327 of 576 postcodes)

360 mg/l · 25.3 °Clark · 20.2 °dH · 36.0 °fH

Very hard

Zone average.

Saffron Walden (supply zone) · 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025

Source: Affinity Water — dated 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025, read 28 September 2026

Ashdon/Great Sampford · Affinity Water (142 of 576 postcodes)

371 mg/l · 26.0 °Clark · 20.8 °dH · 37.1 °fH

Very hard

From the company's postcode lookup.

Ashdon/Great Sampford (supply zone) · read on 28 September 2026

Source: Affinity Water — read 28 September 2026

Chrishall/Great Chesterford · Affinity Water (65 of 576 postcodes)

333 mg/l · 23.4 °Clark · 18.7 °dH · 33.3 °fH

Very hard

From the company's postcode lookup.

Chrishall/Great Chesterford (supply zone) · read on 29 September 2026

Source: Affinity Water — read 29 September 2026

Heydon · Cambridge Water (33 of 576 postcodes)

304 mg/l · 21.3 °Clark · 17.0 °dH · 30.4 °fH

Very hard

Zone average.

Heydon (supply zone) · 2025

Source: Cambridge Water — dated 2025, read 20 September 2026

Linton · Cambridge Water (1 of 576 postcodes)

306 mg/l · 21.5 °Clark · 17.1 °dH · 30.6 °fH

Very hard

Zone average.

Linton (supply zone) · 2025

Source: Cambridge Water — dated 2025, read 20 September 2026

8 postcodes without an identified supply zone

Affinity Water (8 of 576 postcodes)

We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report.

Ask your water company

Storm overflows nearby

11 overflows within 10 km of CB10 centre · 86 spills in 2025

CB10 (district) · 2025

Source: Environment Agency EDM annual return 2025 — dated 20 August 2026, read 13 October 2026

Overflows here are run by Anglian Water.

9 of these were monitored for only part of 2025.

Nearest 5 shown

  1. THAXTED ROAD/VICTORIA AVE CSO

    Into THE SLADE · 1.3 km from the centre of CB10

    0 spills · 0 hours · Monitored 100% of 2025

  2. CASTLE STREET/HIGH STREET

    Into THE SLADE · 1.8 km from the centre of CB10

    35 spills · 17.8 hours · Monitored 99.8% of 2025

  3. SAFFRON WALDEN-GEORGE ABBEY OV

    Into THE SLADE TRIB OF RIVER CAM · 2 km from the centre of CB10

    18 spills · 10.5 hours · Monitored 100% of 2025

  4. SAFFRON WALDEN WRC

    Into THE SLADE RIVER · 2.6 km from the centre of CB10

    2 spills · 3.8 hours · Monitored 99.9% of 2025

  5. SAFFRON WALDEN WRC

    Into THE SLADE RIVER · 2.6 km from the centre of CB10

    9 spills · 3.5 hours · Monitored 98.7% of 2025

Annual 2025 figures from monitored overflows. Not live, and not a bathing-water or tap-water verdict.

  • 57 England outfalls in the 2025 return had no usable location and aren't counted.
  • Northern Ireland isn't covered: No licensed annual per-outfall source in the approved source list; BT postcode coordinates require an LPS licence.

Older homes and lead pipes

50% built before 1973

50% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test.

Homes in the parts of CB10 we can match to council-tax records (100% of its postcodes) whose build period is known; the share with no recorded build period isn't published for these areas. Allowing for suppressed counts: 48–50%. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

Older homes are more likely to have lead pipes. Only a test tells you whether yours does.

CB10 (district) · 2026

Source: Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties — dated 31 March 2026, read 24 September 2026

Fluoride

We cannot confirm whether this area is part of a water fluoridation scheme. Ask your water supplier using your postcode.

About fluoride in UK water

Around one in ten people in England receive drinking water supplied by a fluoridation scheme.

England · 2026 health monitoring report

Source: UKHSA and DHSC — dated 30 March 2026, read 13 October 2026

Fluoride in UK tap water

Hosepipe bans

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What you can do

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links go to amazon.com; Amazon's Earn Globally service can localise them to amazon.co.uk. Check the model and UK delivery before buying.

Water filter jugs

  • LifeStraw

    LSH7GLSPK21

    Performance certification:

    Certified by WQA to NSF/ANSI 42 for Aesthetic Chlorine and Taste and Odor; Certified by WQA to NSF/ANSI 53 for Lead and Mercury; Certified by WQA to NSF/ANSI 401 for Microplastics (a US/international standard; it is not UK approval)

    reduces chlorine taste and odour in drinking water.

    A UK retailer lists this model. Amazon UK stock and delivery are unverified; this Amazon link may not ship to the UK. Check the exact model and UK delivery before you pay.

    UK availability evidence checked 14 October 2026.

    View Details

Shower filters

  • Weddell Water

    WD-100BL

    Performance certification:

    Certified by NSF to NSF/ANSI 177 for Free Available Chlorine Reduction (a US/international standard; it is not UK approval)

    reduces chlorine in shower water; does not soften water.

    A UK retailer lists this model. Amazon UK stock and delivery are unverified; this Amazon link may not ship to the UK. Check the exact model and UK delivery before you pay.

    Check it fits your shower fitting before buying; a US fitting may need an adaptor.

    UK availability evidence checked 14 October 2026.

    View Details

We haven't verified a water softener for UK buyers yet.

What a pick has to pass:

  • An exact-model listing from NSF, WQA or IAPMO for the model sold in the UK
  • Listed to NSF/ANSI 44, the water softener standard
  • The manufacturer's documented feed connection and water-pressure range, so a plumber can check them against UK pipework
  • UK availability evidenced by Amazon UK, the manufacturer or a UK retailer, checked in the last 90 days

Until we can recommend one, see what a softener costs to buy, fit and run in the UK. Water softener cost

We haven't verified a lead test kit for UK buyers yet.

What a pick has to pass:

  • A lead result reported by a laboratory accredited for that test (UKAS, ISO/IEC 17025), named on the kit's listing
  • UK availability evidenced by Amazon UK, the manufacturer or a UK retailer, checked in the last 90 days

Start with your water company: if you think you have lead pipes, you can ask it to test the water at your kitchen tap. Which water test you need

Common water problems

Questions about tap water in CB10

Is the water in CB10 hard or soft?
Affinity Water: very hard, 360 mg/l, 25.3 °Clark, 20.2 °dH, 36.0 °fH (Saffron Walden (supply zone), 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025). Zone average. Affinity Water: very hard, 371 mg/l, 26.0 °Clark, 20.8 °dH, 37.1 °fH (Ashdon/Great Sampford (supply zone), read on 28 September 2026). From the company's postcode lookup. Affinity Water: very hard, 333 mg/l, 23.4 °Clark, 18.7 °dH, 33.3 °fH (Chrishall/Great Chesterford (supply zone), read on 29 September 2026). From the company's postcode lookup. Cambridge Water: very hard, 304 mg/l, 21.3 °Clark, 17.0 °dH, 30.4 °fH (Heydon (supply zone), 2025). Zone average. Affinity Water: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. Cambridge Water: very hard, 306 mg/l, 21.5 °Clark, 17.1 °dH, 30.6 °fH (Linton (supply zone), 2025). Zone average.
What does the drinking water regulator's record show for CB10?
Affinity Water: at least 20 tests failed UK drinking-water standards in 2025 (DWI, company-wide). Some published DWI figures don't reconcile or identify a company, so we've left them out; the true number may be higher. England overall: 99.97% of tests met standards.
Could homes in CB10 have lead pipes?
50% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of CB10 we can match to council-tax records (100% of its postcodes) whose build period is known; the share with no recorded build period isn't published for these areas. Allowing for suppressed counts: 48–50%. England and Wales: 61% (2026). Older homes are more likely to have lead pipes. Only a test tells you whether yours does.
Is the water in CB10 fluoridated?
We cannot confirm whether this area is part of a water fluoridation scheme. Ask your water supplier using your postcode. Around one in ten people in England receive drinking water supplied by a fluoridation scheme.
Sources and method

Affinity Water, Affinity Water, Affinity Water, Cambridge Water, Cambridge Water: Database right, used under the publisher's terms.

Water company boundaries © Water UK, licensed under CC BY 4.0Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated © Crown copyright

Data generation uk-2026-10-16-derive6

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By TapWaterData Editorial

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