Tap water in EX21, TorridgeSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by South West Water. 276 samples, 16 substances, latest on 8 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 EX21 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%
- Bromate12%
- Colour10%
- Nitrate10%
- Arsenic6%
- Iron4%
- Turbidity3%
- Selenium3%
- Antimony2%
- Manganese2%
- Chromium2%
- 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 | 0.000999 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| pH | 7.8 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.13 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Bromate | 0.00122 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 12% |
| 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 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 10% |
| Selenium | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 3% |
| Copper | 0.00571 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% |
44mg 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 Whiteleigh Water, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Whiteleigh Water 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 water plants and algae. 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
EX21 in short
Tap water in EX21 (Torridge) is supplied by South West Water in the Torridge 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 8 December 2025.
- The cleanest tap water of the 5 areas tested in TorridgeEX21 scores 9.5 out of 10, ahead of EX39 in second place on 9.5.
- Soft water at 44 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in EX21, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- 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 EX21 water
Is EX21 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, EX21 (Torridge) 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 EX21 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in EX21 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in EX21?
EX21 (Torridge) is supplied by South West Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is EX21 water hard or soft?
Water in EX21 (Torridge) has a hardness of 44 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in EX21?
EX21 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 EX21 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for EX21, 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 EX21?
The Environment Agency rated the Whiteleigh Water 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 water plants and algae. 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 EX21, which is treated before it reaches homes.
Keep reading
- Is UK Tap Water Safe?Everything you need to know about tap water safety in the UK
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- How to Test Your Tap WaterFrom DIY strips to professional lab analysis
- Best Water Filter Jug UKBRITA vs ZeroWater vs the rest, tested against real data
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River and groundwater readings near EX21
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 EX21.