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Regulator record

TS21 tap water: what's in it?

Northumbrian, Essex and Suffolk Water group (figures include Northumbrian Water): at least 36 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.

TS21 tap water quality report · 2026

  • Hardness

    Slightly hard

    Details

    Sadberge Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

  • Hosepipe ban

    No hosepipe ban

    Details

    Checked 11 October 2026 at 02:34

  • Storm overflows

    72 overflows within 10 km of TS21 centre

    Details

    1,283 spills in 2025

  • Lead pipes

    54% built before 1973

    Details

    Estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of TS21 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: 52–54%. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

    Ask Northumbrian Water for a free lead test ↗

    Lead test kits

Who supplies water in TS21

Drinking-water test record

Northumbrian Water: 545 of 545 postcodes

Northumbrian Water

Northumbrian, Essex and Suffolk Water group, includes Northumbrian Water

Regulator
DWI
Report year
2025
Failed tests
Not shown
Tests
266,202

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

Failed tests by parameter
AluminiumFailed tests: 4
E. coli (confirmed)Failed tests: 3
Enterococci (confirmed)Failed tests: 1
IronFailed tests: 9
LeadFailed tests: 5
ManganeseFailed tests: 3
NickelFailed tests: 2
Nitrite – consumers tapsFailed tests: 1
SodiumFailed tests: 1
Total coliforms (confirmed)Failed tests: 7

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 TS21?

Across TS21's supply zones, hardness ranges from 81 mg/l (soft) to 134 mg/l (slightly hard). Those 5 zones cover 71% of its postcodes.

5 identified supply zones in TS21

Sadberge Zone · Northumbrian Water (167 of 545 postcodes)

128 mg/l · 9.0 °Clark · 7.2 °dH · 12.8 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

Sadberge Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

Sedgefield & Aycliffe Zone · Northumbrian Water (167 of 545 postcodes)

81 mg/l · 5.7 °Clark · 4.6 °dH · 8.1 °fH

Soft

Zone average.

Sedgefield & Aycliffe Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

Longnewton to Tees Ind Est Zone · Northumbrian Water (27 of 545 postcodes)

125 mg/l · 8.8 °Clark · 7.0 °dH · 12.5 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

Longnewton to Tees Ind Est Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

Longnewton Gravity Zone · Northumbrian Water (25 of 545 postcodes)

116 mg/l · 8.2 °Clark · 6.5 °dH · 11.6 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

Longnewton Gravity Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

Billingham Zone · Northumbrian Water (2 of 545 postcodes)

134 mg/l · 9.4 °Clark · 7.5 °dH · 13.4 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average.

Billingham Zone (supply zone) · January 2025 to December 2025

Source: Northumbrian Water — dated January 2025 to December 2025, read 28 September 2026

157 postcodes without an identified supply zone

Northumbrian Water (157 of 545 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

72 overflows within 10 km of TS21 centre · 1,283 spills in 2025

TS21 (district) · 2025

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

Overflows here are run by Northumbrian Water.

70 of these were monitored for only part of 2025.

Nearest 5 shown

  1. SOUTH STREET CSO ST003

    Into CULVERTED W/C TO BISHOPTON BEC · 2.4 km from the centre of TS21

    6 spills · 2.5 hours · Monitored 95.7% of 2025

  2. SEDGEFIELD SEWAGE TREATMENT WORKS

    Into SHOTTON BECK, TRIBUTARY OF · 2.5 km from the centre of TS21

    15 spills · 77.1 hours · Monitored 99% of 2025

  3. STOCKTON ROAD CSO (SE 024)

    Into SHOTTON BECK · 2.5 km from the centre of TS21

    28 spills · 44.5 hours · Monitored 99.7% of 2025

  4. KIRK STREET CSO

    Into CULVERTED W/C TO BISHOPTON BEC · 2.5 km from the centre of TS21

    1 spill · 0 hours · Monitored 99.7% of 2025

  5. STILLINGTON OLD WORKS CSO ST004

    Into BISHOPTON BECK · 2.7 km from the centre of TS21

    49 spills · 91.5 hours · Monitored 99.7% 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

54% built before 1973

54% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test.

Homes in the parts of TS21 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: 52–54%. England and Wales: 61% (2026).

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

TS21 (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 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 TS21

Is the water in TS21 hard or soft?
Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 128 mg/l, 9.0 °Clark, 7.2 °dH, 12.8 °fH (Sadberge Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: soft, 81 mg/l, 5.7 °Clark, 4.6 °dH, 8.1 °fH (Sedgefield & Aycliffe Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: We do not have a verified hardness figure for this area. Ask your water company for its water quality report. Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 125 mg/l, 8.8 °Clark, 7.0 °dH, 12.5 °fH (Longnewton to Tees Ind Est Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 116 mg/l, 8.2 °Clark, 6.5 °dH, 11.6 °fH (Longnewton Gravity Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average. Northumbrian Water: slightly hard, 134 mg/l, 9.4 °Clark, 7.5 °dH, 13.4 °fH (Billingham Zone (supply zone), January 2025 to December 2025). Zone average.
What does the drinking water regulator's record show for TS21?
Northumbrian, Essex and Suffolk Water group (figures include Northumbrian Water): at least 36 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 TS21 have lead pipes?
54% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of TS21 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: 52–54%. 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 TS21 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

Northumbrian Water contact page, Northumbrian Water, Northumbrian Water, Northumbrian Water, Northumbrian Water, Northumbrian 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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