Tap water in BA20, SomersetToo few tap tests to call it.Slightly hard.
Supplied by Wessex Water. 15 substances, latest on 21 September 2026. These are river and groundwater samples near BA20, not tests of treated tap water, so treat the score as a rough guide.
9.2 / 10
The tank is as full as the score. The specks are the minerals that make water hard.
What to do about it
ZeroWater 12-Cup Ready-Pour
£40typical price
Households concerned about PFAS and heavy metals
Waterdrop 10UA Under Sink
£70typical price
High-volume under-sink filtration without RO complexity
BRITA Marella XL + MAXTRA PRO
£25typical price
Basic chlorine and taste improvement on a budget
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What's in a glass of BA20 water
Every bubble is a substance the lab measured. The higher it floats, the closer it came to its legal limit, the dashed line at the top.
Iron came closest to a limit, at 38% of it. 8 of 9 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Iron38%
- Manganese22%
- Nitrate20%
- Ammonia8%
- Nickel6%
- Chromium4%
- Nitrite2%
- Lead<1%
- Copper<1%
- pH 7.84 pH
- Temperature 16.8 °C
- Conductivity 750 µS/cm
- Phosphate 0.15 mg/L
- Dissolved Oxygen 8.74 mg/L
- Zinc 0.00252 mg/L
All 15 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.84 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Temperature | 16.8 °C | No legal limit | – |
| Conductivity | 750 µS/cm | No legal limit | – |
| Nitrate | 10 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 20% |
| Nitrite | 0.012 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 2% |
| Phosphate | 0.15 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 8.74 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Ammonia | 0.042 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L | 8% |
| Lead | 0.00001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | <1% |
| Zinc | 0.00252 mg/L | No legal limit | – |
| Chromium | 0.0019 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 4% |
| Nickel | 0.00116 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 6% |
| Manganese | 0.0111 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 22% |
| Copper | 0.00011 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Iron | 0.0755 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 38% |
172mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Middling hardness. Some scale, slowly
Below the point where a softener pays for itself. Descaling the kettle now and then is all most homes need.
Your river is the Dodham Brook (Yeo (Somset)), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Dodham Brook (Yeo (Somset)) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish and insects and other small river life. It fails the chemical test, as every river, estuary and stretch of coast in England does, because of long-lasting pollutants such as mercury, PFOS (a forever chemical) and old flame retardants.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
BA20 in short
Tap water in BA20 (Somerset) is supplied by Wessex Water in the Somerset Central zone and scores 9.2 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 15 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 21 September 2026.
- 12th cleanest of 40 areas tested in SomersetOnly 11 areas in Somerset scored higher. The best is BA3 on 9.5.
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Iron at 38% of the 0.2 mg/L maximum. See every reading
- Moderately hard water at 172 mg/LSome scale over time in BA20, but not enough to justify a softener for most homes. How hardness is measured
Questions about BA20 water
Is BA20 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, BA20 (Somerset) water scores 9.2/10, which is safe. 0 of 15 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Wessex Water.
What contaminants are in BA20 water?
We tested 15 contaminants in BA20 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in BA20?
BA20 (Somerset) is supplied by Wessex Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is BA20 water hard or soft?
Water in BA20 (Somerset) has a hardness of 172 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as moderately hard. This is a moderate hardness level.
Should I use a water filter in BA20?
BA20 water scored 9.2/10 with no contaminants above recommended levels. A filter is optional but can improve taste, especially if you notice a chlorine flavour. See our filter recommendations for your area.
Are there PFAS forever chemicals in BA20 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for BA20, and the Environment Agency has no PFAS detections in rivers or groundwater within 10 km of it. That reflects where sampling has happened as much as the water itself.
How clean is the river near BA20?
The Environment Agency rated the Dodham Brook (Yeo (Somset)) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by fish and insects and other small river life. It fails the chemical test, as every river, estuary and stretch of coast in England does, because of long-lasting pollutants such as mercury, PFOS (a forever chemical) and old flame retardants. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in BA20, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
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- Best Water Filter Jug UKBRITA vs ZeroWater vs the rest, tested against real data
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