Tap water in EX8, East DevonSafe to drink.Hard.
Supplied by South West Water. 851 samples, 16 substances, latest on 16 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.1 / 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 188 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 EX8 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 43% of it. 14 of 15 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nitrate43%
- Nickel17%
- Copper16%
- Aluminium13%
- Colour10%
- Arsenic7%
- Lead5%
- Iron4%
- Turbidity3%
- Selenium3%
- Antimony2%
- Chromium2%
- Bromate1%
- Cadmium1%
- Manganese<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 | 0.00035 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | <1% |
| 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 | 0.00071 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 7% |
| Cadmium | 0.00006 mg/L | 0.005 mg/L | 1% |
| Chromium | 0.0008 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 2% |
| Nitrate | 21.3 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 43% |
| Selenium | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 3% |
| Copper | 0.32 mg/L | 2 mg/L | 16% |
| Lead | 0.000463 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 5% |
| Nickel | 0.0033 mg/L | 0.02 mg/L | 17% |
188mg of limescale minerals in every litre
This is the water that furs up kettles
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 EX8
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Your estuary is the Exe, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Exe as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by nitrogen and seagrass and saltmarsh. 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
18
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 4 sites. The highest was PFOA at 0.0044 µg/L, at Exeter Golf and Country Club BH, 9.8 km away, in October 2023. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Exeter · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
EX8 in short
Tap water in EX8 (East Devon) is supplied by South West Water in the East Devon Central zone and scores 9.1 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 16 December 2025.
- Nitrate is the reading closest to its limit, at 43% 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 188 mg/LHard starts at 180 mg/L, the point where a softener begins to pay for itself. Limescale will build up in EX8. How hardness is measured
- 5th cleanest of 9 areas tested in East DevonSquarely mid-table for East Devon, between EX11 on 9.5 and EX24 on 8.9.
Questions about EX8 water
Is EX8 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, EX8 (East Devon) water scores 9.1/10, which is safe. 0 of 16 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by South West Water.
What contaminants are in EX8 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in EX8 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 EX8?
EX8 (East Devon) is supplied by South West Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is EX8 water hard or soft?
Water in EX8 (East Devon) has a hardness of 188 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 EX8?
EX8 water scored 9.1/10 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 EX8 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for EX8 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 18 river and groundwater samples from 4 sites within 10 km of EX8, the highest being PFOA at 0.0044 µg/L about 9.8 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 estuary near EX8?
The Environment Agency rated the Exe as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by nitrogen and seagrass and saltmarsh. 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 estuary, not of tap water in EX8, 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
- 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?
- 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
PFAS explainedHow to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
River and groundwater readings near EX8
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 EX8.