North East England
Northumbrian Water
What to Watch For
Lead leaches into drinking water from old service pipes. Even low-level exposure is linked to developmental harm in children and cardiovascular issues in adults.
Former heavy industry left contamination in soil and infrastructure. Ageing pipes in industrial areas can introduce trace metals and chemical residues into tap water.
Untreated sewage is discharged into rivers and water sources during heavy rainfall. These overflow events introduce bacteria, viruses, and chemical pollutants upstream of treatment intake points.
Decades-old pipe networks corrode and degrade, introducing trace metals, sediment, and bacteria into the water supply between treatment and your tap.
Noticeable chlorine taste indicates higher-than-average treatment levels. While safe at regulated doses, it affects the flavour of drinking water, cooking, and hot drinks.
Fertilisers, pesticides, and animal waste wash into water sources from farmland. Nitrate contamination is a persistent problem in agricultural regions.
Tiny plastic particles found in treated water supplies pass through standard filtration. Research into long-term health effects is ongoing, but early findings raise concern.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — "forever chemicals" — persist in water indefinitely. Linked to thyroid disease, immune suppression, and increased cancer risk. Standard treatment does not remove them.
When chlorine reacts with natural organic matter in water, it creates by-products including trihalomethanes. Long-term exposure is associated with increased health risks.
Natural and synthetic organic compounds from peat, agriculture, and industry can react with chlorine to form harmful disinfection by-products including trihalomethanes.
Trace amounts of medicines — from painkillers to hormones — have been detected in treated water supplies. Conventional treatment does not fully remove them.
Trace levels of agricultural pesticides persist in treated water. While individually below legal limits, the cumulative effect of multiple residues is poorly understood.
Overview
North East water starts clean in Kielder and Pennine reservoirs — then travels through decades-old infrastructure to reach your tap. By the time it arrives, it's carrying chlorine, trace metals, and whatever the pipes added along the way.
Water Hardness
Northumbrian water sits in the soft-to-moderate range — 40–150 ppm. Gentle on appliances, but not a guarantee of purity. Low mineral content means other contaminants aren't masked by taste.
Common Contaminants
Northumbrian Water is at risk of exceeding lead standards in all water zones — the Secretary of State considered enforcement action in 2023. Over 40,000 sewage overflows were recorded in 2024. Industrial heritage from coal, steel, and shipbuilding left trace metals in ageing infrastructure. PFAS, agricultural runoff, microplastics, and disinfection by-products from peat sources add to the mix.
What Pluvia Removes
The lead that puts every Northumbrian water zone at risk, the industrial trace metals from Tyneside and Teesside, the chlorine by-products from peat-rich sources, the PFAS and microplastics — Pluvia's RO membrane catches what 40,000 sewage overflows and decades-old pipes leave in your water. UV-C finishes the job.
Regional Notes
Kielder Water is the largest artificial reservoir in the UK by capacity — completed in 1981 to supply the North East. The water starts pristine. What happens between the reservoir and your tap is the problem.
Check Your Extended Report
Want the full picture? Northumbrian Water publishes detailed water quality data for your exact postcode. Check their official report to see what's in your supply right now.
The information on this page is sourced from publicly available water quality reports published by Northumbrian Water and independent testing data. We do not guarantee its accuracy or that it reflects current conditions. Your actual water quality may be better or worse than described here. For the most up-to-date results, check your supplier's official report above.
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