Tap water in PL13, CornwallSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by South West Water. 229 samples, 10 substances, latest on 10 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 PL13 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. 9 of 9 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nickel17%
- Aluminium13%
- Colour10%
- Manganese8%
- Iron4%
- Turbidity3%
- Bromate1%
- Lead1%
- Copper<1%
- pH 7.4 pH
All 10 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 | 0.00398 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 8% |
| pH | 7.4 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.13 NTU | 4 NTU | 3% |
| Copper | 0.00258 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% |
| Bromate | 0.000132 mg/L | 0.01 mg/L | 1% |
38mg 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 estuary is the Looe, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Looe as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. 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
PL13 in short
Tap water in PL13 (Cornwall) is supplied by South West Water in the Cornwall Central zone and scores 9.5 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 10 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 10 December 2025.
- 5th cleanest of 45 areas tested in CornwallOnly 4 areas in Cornwall scored higher. The best is EX23 on 9.5.
- Soft water at 38 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in PL13, 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 PL13 water
Is PL13 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, PL13 (Cornwall) water scores 9.5/10, which is safe. 0 of 10 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by South West Water.
What contaminants are in PL13 water?
We tested 10 contaminants in PL13 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in PL13?
PL13 (Cornwall) is supplied by South West Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is PL13 water hard or soft?
Water in PL13 (Cornwall) has a hardness of 38 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in PL13?
PL13 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 PL13 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for PL13, 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 estuary near PL13?
The Environment Agency rated the Looe as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. 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 PL13, 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
How to test your waterBest water filtersFilter shower headsWater testing kitsUK water rankingsWater hardness checkerWater hardness map
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