Tap water in PL21, South HamsSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by South West Water. 388 samples, 16 substances, latest on 19 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 PL21 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%
- Colour10%
- Nitrate10%
- Arsenic6%
- Turbidity4%
- Iron4%
- Manganese4%
- Selenium3%
- Antimony2%
- Chromium2%
- Bromate1%
- Cadmium1%
- Lead1%
- Copper<1%
- pH 7.2 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 | 0.00176 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L | 4% |
| pH | 7.2 pH | No legal limit | – |
| Turbidity | 0.17 NTU | 4 NTU | 4% |
| 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% |
| 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 mg/L | 50 mg/L | 10% |
| Selenium | 0.0012 mg/L | 0.04 mg/L | 3% |
21mg 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 Erme, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Erme 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. 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
54
forever-chemical detections in nearby rivers and groundwater
At 1 site. The highest was PFOS (total) at 0.0089 µg/L, at Chaplins (Diy Store), 9.3 km away, in December 2025. These are river and borehole samples, not tests of your tap water.
Every PFAS sample around Plymouth · Which filters remove PFAS · PFAS explained
PL21 in short
Tap water in PL21 (South Hams) is supplied by South West Water in the South Hams 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 19 December 2025.
- The cleanest tap water of the 7 areas tested in South HamsPL21 scores 9.5 out of 10, ahead of PL8 in second place on 9.5.
- Soft water at 21 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in PL21, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
- PFAS found at 1 monitoring site within 10 kmThose are river and groundwater samples, not tap water. The highest was PFOS (total) about 9.3 km away. What was measured
Questions about PL21 water
Is PL21 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, PL21 (South Hams) 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 PL21 water?
We tested 16 contaminants in PL21 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 PL21?
PL21 (South Hams) is supplied by South West Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is PL21 water hard or soft?
Water in PL21 (South Hams) has a hardness of 21 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in PL21?
PL21 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 PL21 water?
The tap-water tests we hold for PL21 do not include a PFAS result. Environment Agency monitoring found PFAS in 54 river and groundwater samples from 1 sites within 10 km of PL21, the highest being PFOS (total) at 0.0089 µg/L about 9.3 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 PL21?
The Environment Agency rated the Erme 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. 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 PL21, 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 PL21
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.
| Substance | Reading | Drinking water limit |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | 0.00082 mg/L | 2 mg/L |
| Zinc | 0.0016 mg/L | None |
| Manganese | 0.014 mg/L | 0.05 mg/L |
| Iron | 0.11 mg/L | 0.2 mg/L |
| Dissolved Oxygen | 9.78 mg/L | None |
| pH | 7.26 pH | None |
| Mercury | 0.0000109 mg/L | 0.001 mg/L |
| Temperature | 13.8 °C | None |
| Conductivity | 142 µS/cm | None |
| Nitrate | 1.27 mg/L | 50 mg/L |
| Phosphate | 0.099 mg/L | None |
| Ammonia | 0.0077 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 0.00187 mg/L | 0.5 mg/L |
Get alerts for your area
We'll email you when water quality data changes for PL21.