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Regulator record

OL1 tap water: what's in it?

United Utilities: at least 57 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.

OL1 tap water quality report · 2026

  • Hardness

    Soft

    Details

    Counthill (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 31 samples

  • Hosepipe ban

    Not available

    Details

    We can't confirm the hosepipe-ban status for United Utilities from the information we hold.

    Check the company's current advice

  • Storm overflows

    221 overflows within 10 km of OL1 centre

    Details

    4,305 spills in 2025

  • Lead pipes

    62% built before 1973

    Details

    Estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of OL1 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: 61–62%. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

    Ask United Utilities for a free lead test ↗

    Lead test kits

Who supplies water in OL1

Drinking-water test record

United Utilities: 779 of 779 postcodes

United Utilities

United Utilities, company-wide

Regulator
DWI
Report year
2025
Failed tests
Not shown
Tests
385,673

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

Failed tests by parameter
AluminiumFailed tests: 5
E. coli (confirmed)Failed tests: 4
IronFailed tests: 18
LeadFailed tests: 7
ManganeseFailed tests: 7
NickelFailed tests: 3
Total coliforms (confirmed)Failed tests: 13

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 OL1?

Across OL1's supply zones, hardness ranges from 24 mg/l (soft) to 45 mg/l (soft). Those 6 zones cover 98% of its postcodes.

6 identified supply zones in OL1

Counthill · United Utilities (378 of 779 postcodes)

26 mg/l · 1.8 °Clark · 1.5 °dH · 2.6 °fH

Soft

Zone average of 31 samples.

Counthill (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 31 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 29 September 2026

Lowbrook · United Utilities (132 of 779 postcodes)

24 mg/l · 1.7 °Clark · 1.3 °dH · 2.4 °fH

Soft

Zone average of 58 samples.

Lowbrook (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 58 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 29 September 2026

Sholver · United Utilities (121 of 779 postcodes)

45 mg/l · 3.2 °Clark · 2.5 °dH · 4.5 °fH

Soft

Zone average of 40 samples.

Sholver (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 40 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 29 September 2026

Chadderton · United Utilities (115 of 779 postcodes)

34 mg/l · 2.4 °Clark · 1.9 °dH · 3.4 °fH

Soft

Zone average of 49 samples.

Chadderton (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 49 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 29 September 2026

Royton · United Utilities (15 of 779 postcodes)

35 mg/l · 2.5 °Clark · 2.0 °dH · 3.5 °fH

Soft

Zone average of 27 samples.

Royton (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 27 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 29 September 2026

Haweswater Hatters · United Utilities (1 of 779 postcodes)

31 mg/l · 2.2 °Clark · 1.7 °dH · 3.1 °fH

Soft

Zone average of 38 samples.

Haweswater Hatters (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 38 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 29 September 2026

17 postcodes without an identified supply zone

United Utilities (17 of 779 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

221 overflows within 10 km of OL1 centre · 4,305 spills in 2025

OL1 (district) · 2025

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

Overflows here are run by United Utilities.

195 of these were monitored for only part of 2025.

Nearest 5 shown

  1. STONELEIGH PARK CSO

    Into RIVER BEAL VIA SWS · 0.9 km from the centre of OL1

    11 spills · 10.4 hours · Monitored 100% of 2025

  2. HOLDEN FOLD LANE CSO

    Into LUZLEY BRROK · 1.9 km from the centre of OL1

    10 spills · 12.4 hours · Monitored 99.7% of 2025

  3. WESTHULME HOSPITAL CSO

    Into PLUMPTON CLOUGH · 2.4 km from the centre of OL1

    3 spills · 5.3 hours · Monitored 100% of 2025

  4. COWLISHAW CSO

    Into LUZLEY BROOK · 2.4 km from the centre of OL1

    4 spills · 9.9 hours · Monitored 98.8% of 2025

  5. 674 RIPPONDEN ROAD CSO

    Into CLVRT'D SECTION HODGE CLOUGH · 2.5 km from the centre of OL1

    23 spills · 62.5 hours · Monitored 100% 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

62% built before 1973

62% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test.

Homes in the parts of OL1 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: 61–62%. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

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

OL1 (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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See our privacy policy.

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 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 OL1

Is the water in OL1 hard or soft?
United Utilities: soft, 26 mg/l, 1.8 °Clark, 1.5 °dH, 2.6 °fH (Counthill (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 31 samples). Zone average of 31 samples. United Utilities: soft, 24 mg/l, 1.7 °Clark, 1.3 °dH, 2.4 °fH (Lowbrook (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 58 samples). Zone average of 58 samples. United Utilities: soft, 45 mg/l, 3.2 °Clark, 2.5 °dH, 4.5 °fH (Sholver (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 40 samples). Zone average of 40 samples. United Utilities: soft, 34 mg/l, 2.4 °Clark, 1.9 °dH, 3.4 °fH (Chadderton (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 49 samples). Zone average of 49 samples. United Utilities: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. United Utilities: soft, 35 mg/l, 2.5 °Clark, 2.0 °dH, 3.5 °fH (Royton (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 27 samples). Zone average of 27 samples. United Utilities: soft, 31 mg/l, 2.2 °Clark, 1.7 °dH, 3.1 °fH (Haweswater Hatters (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 38 samples). Zone average of 38 samples.
What does the drinking water regulator's record show for OL1?
United Utilities: at least 57 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 OL1 have lead pipes?
62% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of OL1 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: 61–62%. 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 OL1 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

United Utilities contact page, United Utilities, United Utilities, United Utilities, United Utilities, United Utilities, United Utilities: 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 v3.0

Data generation uk-2026-10-16-derive6

Check another postcode

By TapWaterData Editorial

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