Tap water in PL23, CornwallSafe to drink.Soft.
Supplied by South West Water. 18 samples, 3 substances, latest on 9 December 2025. Everything is inside the legal limit, and nothing comes close to it.
9.3 / 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 PL23 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. 3 of 3 substances used under a quarter of theirs.
- Nickel17%
- Lead5%
- Copper<1%
33mg 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 Fowey, rated moderate
The Environment Agency rated the Fowey as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by specific pollutants. 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 dropped since the previous assessment.
None of this is a test of your tap water. Environment Agency record · River health across England
PL23 in short
Tap water in PL23 (Cornwall) is supplied by South West Water in the Cornwall Central zone and scores 9.3 out of 10, against an England and Wales average of 9.0. None of the 3 tested substances came close to a limit. The latest sample is from 9 December 2025.
- 44th cleanest of 45 areas tested in Cornwall1 area in Cornwall scored lower. The best is EX23 on 9.5.
- Every one of the 10 neighbouring districts scores higherEX23 next door scores 9.5, against 9.3 here. Supply zones, not distance, explain the gap. See EX23
- Soft water at 33 mg/LLimescale is not a problem in PL23, so skip softeners and scale filters entirely. How hardness is measured
Questions about PL23 water
Is PL23 tap water safe to drink?
Based on the latest tests, PL23 (Cornwall) water scores 9.3/10, which is safe. 0 of 3 tested contaminants exceeded recommended levels. Water is supplied by South West Water.
What contaminants are in PL23 water?
We tested 3 contaminants in PL23 water. None exceeded recommended safe levels.
Who supplies water in PL23?
PL23 (Cornwall) is supplied by South West Water. You can view their full profile and compliance data on our supplier page.
Is PL23 water hard or soft?
Water in PL23 (Cornwall) has a hardness of 33 mg/L CaCO3, which is classified as soft. Soft water is gentle on appliances and skin.
Should I use a water filter in PL23?
PL23 water scored 9.3/10 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 PL23 water?
No PFAS (forever chemicals) result is attached to the tap-water tests for PL23, 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 PL23?
The Environment Agency rated the Fowey as moderate for ecological health in its 2025 assessment, meaning the estuary is noticeably changed by pollution or engineering. It is held back by specific pollutants. 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 dropped since the previous assessment. This is a rating of the estuary, not of tap water in PL23, 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
- Best Water Filters UKEvery filter type compared on what it actually removes
- 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
River and groundwater readings near PL23
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 PL23.