hard water areas

Does the South East have hard water?

March 22, 2021 Samantha

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Of course it does!

The South East has very hard water, cities such as Southampton, Portsmouth and Brighton are all supplied with hard water.

Hard water leads to limescale

Hard water contains minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium. These minerals bond readily to surfaces and themselves, forming the hard, crusty build up on surfaces known as limescale.

But it’s not just the kitchen tap that is affected. Limescale also builds up in expensive equipment such as boilers leading to reduced efficiency and a shorter lifespan.

A thin stream of hard water flows from an old tap aerator. Old Bathroom Sink Faucet contaminated with calcium and grime

With harder water there’s more limescale

We can categorise water hardness into 3 different groups, the ppm stands for parts per million and refers to the amount of calcium carbonate and magnesium present in the water:

Soft to moderately soft water – 1 -100ppm

Medium to moderately hard water- 100-200ppm

Hard to very hard water – Over 200 ppm

Water is hard when it runs through or sits in areas with high mineral content. Water taken from certain sources is much more likely to be hard. Groundwater sources such as underground aquifers are a prime example of a hard water source.

Limescale is costly! You could be wasting £500 a year

At high temperatures, limescale forms much quicker. Heating element in boilers and washing machines are very vulnerable to limescale build up. Limescale acts as an insulator, which leads to the heating element requiring more energy in order to heat the same amount of water. Depending on the level of build up, the amount of energy required can increase by up to 25%!

By not treating your hard water your energy bill could be inflated by £500. That doesn’t include the additional spend on expensive descaling chemicals to clear surfaces.