Tap water in EX16, Mid DevonSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by South West Water. 738 samples, 16 substances, latest on 18 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 EX16 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%
- Selenium3%
- Manganese3%
- Antimony2%
- Chromium2%
- Bromate1%
- Cadmium1%
- Lead1%
- Copper<1%
- pH 7.7 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 | 0.00146 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 3% |
| pH | 7.7 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.13 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Copper | 0.0025 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% |
| 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 | 5.81 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 12% |
| Selenium | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 3% |
| Bromate | 0.000132 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
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 Exe (Barle to Culm), rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Exe (Barle to Culm) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by 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
EX16 in short
Tap water in EX16 (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 18 December 2025.
- Soft water at 59 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in EX16, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- 2nd cleanest of 4 areas tested in Mid DevonOnly 1 area in Mid Devon scored higher. The best is EX15 on 9.5.
- Nothing tested came within 40% of its legal limitThe highest was Nickel at 17% of the 0.02 mg/L maximum. See every reading
Questions about EX16 water
Is EX16 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, EX16 (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 EX16 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in EX16 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in EX16?
EX16 (Mid Devon) is supplied by South West Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is EX16 water hard or soft?
Water in EX16 (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 EX16?
EX16 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 EX16 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for EX16, 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 EX16?
The Environment Agency rated the Exe (Barle to Culm) as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the river is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by 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 EX16, which is treated before it reaches homes.
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River and groundwater readings near EX16
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 EX16.