When water falls as rain, it is 'soft' and free of minerals. It picks up naturally occurring minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, as it passes through rock, sand and soil, which causes the water to become 'hard'.
The picture below shows a comparison with other areas in the UK.
My water supply
How hard is your water?
View the water quality report for your area
Hard water in the home
In the home, hard water can lead to the furring and scaling of heating systems, kettles and household appliances, such as washing machines.
How much fur or scale build up usually depends on the hardness of the water, the type of system involved, the temperature to which the water is heated, and how much water is used.
Hard water is perfectly safe and there's a lot of evidence that it can be good for our health. Calcium is essential for normal growth and health, and if you're in a hard water area, your drinking water can contribute towards your daily calcium intake. However if you want to reduce the amount of scale or furring, there are steps you can take.
