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Regulator record

WA4 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.

WA4 tap water quality report · 2026

  • Hardness

    Slightly hard

    Details

    Appleton (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 36 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

    62 overflows within 10 km of WA4 centre

    Details

    1,272 spills in 2025

  • Lead pipes

    62% built before 1973

    Details

    Estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of WA4 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 WA4

Drinking-water test record

United Utilities: 1,437 of 1,437 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 WA4?

Across WA4's supply zones, hardness ranges from 16 mg/l (soft) to 124 mg/l (slightly hard). Those 5 zones cover 52% of its postcodes.

5 identified supply zones in WA4

Appleton · United Utilities (696 of 1,437 postcodes)

124 mg/l · 8.7 °Clark · 6.9 °dH · 12.4 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average of 36 samples.

Appleton (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 36 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 30 September 2026

Warrington West · United Utilities (49 of 1,437 postcodes)

92 mg/l · 6.5 °Clark · 5.2 °dH · 9.2 °fH

Soft

Zone average of 28 samples.

Warrington West (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 28 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 30 September 2026

Runcorn East · United Utilities (6 of 1,437 postcodes)

16 mg/l · 1.1 °Clark · 0.9 °dH · 1.6 °fH

Soft

Zone average of 51 samples.

Runcorn East (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 51 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 30 September 2026

Warrington East · United Utilities (1 of 1,437 postcodes)

92 mg/l · 6.5 °Clark · 5.2 °dH · 9.2 °fH

Soft

Zone average of 47 samples.

Warrington East (supply zone) · 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 47 samples

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 30 September 2026

Northwich West · United Utilities (1 of 1,437 postcodes)

113 mg/l · 7.9 °Clark · 6.3 °dH · 11.3 °fH

Slightly hard

Zone average of 40 samples.

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

Source: United Utilities — dated 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026, read 30 September 2026

684 postcodes without an identified supply zone

United Utilities (684 of 1,437 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

62 overflows within 10 km of WA4 centre · 1,272 spills in 2025

WA4 (district) · 2025

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

Overflows here are run by United Utilities.

55 of these were monitored for only part of 2025.

Nearest 5 shown

  1. ELLESMERE ROAD CSO 481TI

    Into Manchester Ship Canal · 1.1 km from the centre of WA4

    9 spills · 9.9 hours · Monitored 99.9% of 2025

  2. WALTON PS

    Into Manchester Ship Canal · 1.6 km from the centre of WA4

    25 spills · 232.8 hours · Monitored 99.9% of 2025

  3. KNUTSFORD RD/GRAMMAR SCHOOL RD CSO

    Into Manchester Ship Canal · 1.7 km from the centre of WA4

    24 spills · 18.8 hours · Monitored 94.2% of 2025

  4. WARRINGTON/GRAPPENHALL

    Into Manchester Ship Canal · 1.9 km from the centre of WA4

    1 spill · 3.3 hours · Monitored 61.9% of 2025

  5. TBC

    Into River Mersey · 2.1 km from the centre of WA4

    0 spills · 0 hours · Monitored 95.6% 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 WA4 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.

WA4 (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

Get UK hosepipe news

Occasional news on UK hosepipe bans and water restrictions from TapWaterData. Unsubscribe any time.

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 WA4

Is the water in WA4 hard or soft?
United Utilities: slightly hard, 124 mg/l, 8.7 °Clark, 6.9 °dH, 12.4 °fH (Appleton (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 36 samples). Zone average of 36 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, 92 mg/l, 6.5 °Clark, 5.2 °dH, 9.2 °fH (Warrington West (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 28 samples). Zone average of 28 samples. United Utilities: soft, 16 mg/l, 1.1 °Clark, 0.9 °dH, 1.6 °fH (Runcorn East (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 51 samples). Zone average of 51 samples. United Utilities: soft, 92 mg/l, 6.5 °Clark, 5.2 °dH, 9.2 °fH (Warrington East (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 47 samples). Zone average of 47 samples. United Utilities: slightly hard, 113 mg/l, 7.9 °Clark, 6.3 °dH, 11.3 °fH (Northwich West (supply zone), 12-month average, updated 25 September 2026; 40 samples). Zone average of 40 samples.
What does the drinking water regulator's record show for WA4?
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 WA4 have lead pipes?
62% of homes here were built before 1973 — estimate, not a test. Homes in the parts of WA4 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 WA4 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: 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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