Devon & Cornwall: soft water, but what about chlorine and PFAS?
West of Exeter the water is naturally soft. That doesn't mean it's clean, chlorine, THMs and forever chemicals are still very much part of the picture.
Most Devon and Cornwall homes never see limescale on the kettle. The granite bedrock of Dartmoor and Bodmin gives South West Water some of the softest supplies in England. So the assumption is often that the water is already "clean". It isn't quite that simple.
Chlorine and disinfection by-products
Soft, peaty water like Devon's reacts strongly with the chlorine used to disinfect it. That reaction creates trihalomethanes (THMs), a class of disinfection by-products that regulators watch closely and that carbon filtration removes very effectively.
Forever chemicals
Recent DEFRA studies have detected PFAS ("forever chemicals") in surface waters across the South-West, including tributaries feeding the Tamar and the Exe. Levels are within legal limits but the trend is upward.
What actually changes water quality here
- Activated carbon filtration, removes chlorine, chloramines and THMs, transforming taste and smell overnight.
- PFAS-rated media, the Pureau range includes options tested against long-chain PFAS compounds.
- Grander® revitalisation, customers in Cornwall regularly report that already-soft water becomes noticeably "silkier" after revitalisation.
Recommended setup for the South-West coast
If you're on soft water in TR, PL, EX or TQ you rarely need heavy limescale control. An EcoPure 1H+ focused on filtration and revitalisation is usually enough, cheaper to install, smaller footprint, huge impact on taste.