Tap water in EX15, Mid DevonSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by South West Water. 713 samples, 16 substances, latest on 12 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.5 / 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 EX15 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.
Nickel came closest to a limit, at 17% of it. 15 of 15 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nickel17%
- Aluminium13%
- Nitrate12%
- Colour10%
- Arsenic6%
- Iron4%
- Turbidity3%
- Manganese3%
- Selenium3%
- Antimony2%
- Chromium2%
- Bromate1%
- Cadmium1%
- Lead1%
- Copper<1%
- pH 7.8 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 | 0.00162 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 3% |
| pH | 7.8 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.13 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Bromate | 0.000132 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Antimony | 0.0001 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 2% |
| Arsenic | 0.00062 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 6% |
| Cadmium | 0.00006 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Chromium | 0.0008 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 5.76 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 12% |
| Selenium | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 3% |
| Copper | 0.0129 mg/L | 2 mg/L | <1% |
| Lead | 0.0001 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
| Nickel | 0.0033 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 17% |
59mg of limescale minerals in every litre
Soft water. Kind to kettles, boilers and skin
You will not need a softener here, and you will use less soap and detergent than most of England.
Your river is the Ken Stream, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Ken Stream as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by water plants and algae 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
10
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 2 sites. The highest was 6:2 FTSA at 0.005 µg/L, at RSN0023 River Weaver at Kensham Lodge (Culm), 8.2 km away, in June 2026. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Exeter · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
EX15 in short
Tap water in EX15 (Mid Devon) is supplied by South West Water in the Mid Devon Central zone and scores 9.5 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 12 December 2025.
- The cleanest tap water of the 4 areas tested in Mid DevonEX15 scores 9.5 out of 10, ahead of EX16 in second place on 9.5.
- Soft water at 59 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in EX15, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- PFAS found at 2 monitoring sites within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was 6:2 FTSA about 8.2 km away. What was measured
Questions about EX15 water
Is EX15 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, EX15 (Mid Devon) water scores 9.5/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by South West Water.
What contaminants are in EX15 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in EX15 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels. PFAS (forever chemicals) were also measured in rivers and groundwater within 10 km, though not in the tap-water tests themselves.
Who supplies water in EX15?
EX15 (Mid Devon) is supplied by South West Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is EX15 water hard or soft?
Water in EX15 (Mid Devon) has a hardness of 59 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in EX15?
EX15 water scored 9.5/10 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 EX15 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for EX15 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 10 river and groundwater samples from 2 sites within 10 km of EX15, the highest being 6:2 FTSA at 0.005 µg/L about 8.2 km away. These are environmental samples, not tests of tap water. The UK currently has no legal limit for PFAS in drinking water; the Drinking Water Inspectorate uses a 0.1 µg/L guideline for individual compounds. Reverse osmosis filters can reduce PFAS levels.
How clean is the river near EX15?
The Environment Agency rated the Ken Stream as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by water plants and algae 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. Its ecological rating has improved since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the river, not of tap water in EX15, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- Best Filter for PFAS RemovalThe filters with independent certification to remove forever chemicals
- PFAS Forever ChemicalsWhat PFAS are and how to reduce your exposure at home
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near EX15
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.
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for EX15.