Tap water in BA8, SomersetToo few tap tests to call it.Very hard.
Supplied by Wessex Water. 8 substances, latest on 23 October 2026. These are river and groundwater samples near BA8, not tests of treated tap water, so treat the score as a rough guide.
8.8 / 10
The tank is as full as the score. The specks are the minerals that make water hard.
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 290 mg/L a softener is the only thing that stops limescale. Filters do not soften water.
It pays for itself in most homes at this hardness, through a boiler that stays efficient and appliances that last.
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
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What's in a glass of BA8 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.
Ammonia came closest to a limit, at 14% of it. 3 of 3 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Ammonia14%
- Nitrate13%
- Nitrite10%
- pH 7.62 pH
- Temperature 11.5 °C
- Conductivity 613 µS/cm
- Phosphate 0.23 mg/L
- Dissolved Oxygen 6.65 mg/L
All 8 results as a table
290mg of limescale minerals in every litre
This is the water that furs up kettles
Very hard on the UK scale. It is fine to drink. It is hard on boilers, showers, skin and anything that heats water, and a jug or tap filter will not change that.
Softener quotes for BA8
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Your river is the Bow Brook South, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Bow Brook South as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life, dissolved oxygen and phosphate. 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
BA8 in short
Tap water in BA8 (Somerset) is supplied by Wessex Water in the Somerset Central zone and scores 8.8 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 8 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 23 October 2026.
- Very hard water at 290 mg/LThe threshold for very hard is 250 mg/L. Expect visible limescale on taps and in kettles in BA8. How hardness is measured
- 18th cleanest of 40 areas tested in SomersetSquarely mid-table for Somerset, between TA21 on 9.6 and TA6 on 5.9.
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Ammonia at 14% of the 0.5 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about BA8 water
Is BA8 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, BA8 (Somerset) water scores 8.8/10, which is safe. 0 of 8 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by Wessex Water.
What contaminants are in BA8 water?
We tested 8 contaminants in BA8 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in BA8?
BA8 (Somerset) is supplied by Wessex Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is BA8 water hard or soft?
Water in BA8 (Somerset) has a hardness of 290 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as very hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in BA8?
BA8 water scored 8.8/10 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 BA8 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for BA8, 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 BA8?
The Environment Agency rated the Bow Brook South as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by insects and other small river life, dissolved oxygen and phosphate. 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 BA8, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
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