Tap water in EX12, East DevonSafe to drink.Very hard.
Supplied by South West Water. 377 samples, 16 substances, latest on 18 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
8.9 / 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 214 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 EX12 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.
Nitrate came closest to a limit, at 61% of it. 14 of 15 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate61%
- Copper25%
- Nickel17%
- Aluminium13%
- Colour10%
- Arsenic8%
- Lead7%
- Iron4%
- Turbidity3%
- Selenium3%
- Antimony2%
- Chromium2%
- Bromate1%
- Cadmium1%
- Manganese<1%
- pH 7.6 pH
All 16 results as a table
| Substance | Result | Legal limit | Share of limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | 0.0257 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 13% |
| Colour | 2 mg/L Pt/Co | 20 mg/L Pt/Co | 10% |
| Iron | 0.0076 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L | 4% |
| Manganese | 0.00035 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| pH | 7.6 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.13 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Copper | 0.495 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 25% |
| Lead | 0.0007 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
| Nickel | 0.0033 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 17% |
| Antimony | 0.0001 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Arsenic | 0.00079 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 8% |
| Cadmium | 0.00006 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Chromium | 0.0008 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 30.5 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 61% |
| Selenium | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 3% |
| Bromate | 0.000132 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
214mg 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 EX12
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Your coastal water is the Lyme Bay East, rated good
The Environment Agency rated the Lyme Bay East as good for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the coastal water is only slightly changed from its natural state. 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
EX12 in short
Tap water in EX12 (East Devon) is supplied by South West Water in the East Devon Central zone and scores 8.9 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 16 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 18 December 2025.
- 8th cleanest of 9 areas tested in East Devon1 area in East Devon scored lower. The best is EX11 on 9.5.
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 61% of the 50 mg/L maximumIt passed with room to spare, and everything else tested sat further below its limit. See every reading
- Hard water at 214 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in EX12. How hardness is measured
Questions about EX12 water
Is EX12 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, EX12 (East Devon) water scores 8.9/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by South West Water.
What contaminants are in EX12 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in EX12 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in EX12?
EX12 (East Devon) is supplied by South West Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is EX12 water hard or soft?
Water in EX12 (East Devon) has a hardness of 214 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as hard. Hard water can cause limescale buildup. A water softener or filter jug may help.
Should I use a water filter in EX12?
EX12 water scored 8.9/10 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 EX12 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for EX12, 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 coastal water near EX12?
The Environment Agency rated the Lyme Bay East as good for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the coastal water is only slightly changed from its natural state. 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 coastal water, not of tap water in EX12, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- Best Water Softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared, with real costs
- Do I Need a Water Softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and a postcode check
- UK Water Hardness MapIs your water hard or soft, and does it matter?
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- Do I need a water softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and when the answer is no
- Best water softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared
- Water softener costUnit, fitting and salt, and how long the payback takes
- Installation explainedWhere it goes, the bypass tap, the drain, DIY or plumber
- Harvey vs KineticoThe two premium twin-cylinder brands, side by side
- Softener salt guideTablet, block or granular, and how much you get through
- Salt-free softenersConditioners and electronic descalers, honestly assessed
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near EX12
Environment Agency samples from rivers, groundwater and reservoirs nearby. Not your tap water. For scale they are shown against drinking water limits; rivers are judged against much stricter environmental standards, and on those every river in England fails for chemicals.
| Substance | Reading | Drinking water limit |
|---|---|---|
| Ammonia | 0.032 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 2.6 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.035 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.16 mg/L | None |
| Copper | 0.001 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.00062 mg/L | None |
| Nickel | 0.001 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L |
| Lead | 0.00017 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.000015 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L |
| pH | 8.56 pH | None |
| Temperature | 14.9 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 438 µS/cm | None |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 9.57 mg/L | None |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for EX12.