Hard soft water map UK

Is the water in the UK really that hard?
 

Author: Allen Huang 2024-07-06

The problem of hard water in the UK is well known. According to reports, about 60% of the UK has hard or very hard water, and many areas have calcium carbonate levels of more than 200 mg per Liter.

In fact, rainwater is naturally soft water. But as rain falls to the ground and penetrates into the rocks, calcium, magnesium and other minerals will dissolve into it, gradually forming water with a high mineral content, which is what we call hard water.

The chalk and limestone areas in southern and eastern England release more minerals into the water as it flows through, compared to the granite areas in the north and west of the country.

As a result, the water in southern and eastern England is much harder than in other parts of the UK. Scotland, on the other hand, has mostly soft water.

Among them, Bath is the city with the hardest water in the UK. However, it is precisely because of the mineral-rich spring water and its therapeutic effects that Bath has become the most famous "bathhouse" in the UK!

In addition to Bath, the water in Bristol, Guildford, Oxford and Reading is also very hard.

Well-known areas such as Cardiff and Swansea in Wales, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen in Scotland, Manchester, Liverpool, Exeter in England are all lucky soft water areas.

Instant hot water dispensers and water filtration systems are essential for improving water quality and increasing the safety of drinking water. Many people are horrified by the amount of hair left in the British royal family and need to install them immediately. Although there is no scientific evidence to prove that hard water can cause hair loss, many people still think it is better to take precautions.

If people who do not drink hard water regularly drink hard water occasionally, it will cause gastrointestinal disorders. This is what is meant by "water and soil incompatibility". If fish and vegetables are cooked with hard water, they are often difficult to cook and their edible value is often destroyed or reduced.

People who cannot drink hard water but live in hard water areas can boil tap water before drinking it. Boiling can remove the carbonate hardness formed by calcium bicarbonate and magnesium bicarbonate contained in the water, which is temporary hardness. Installing a water purification system at home can also remove calcium and magnesium ions in the water.

There are many ways to measure the hardness of water. At home, the most convenient way is to use soap. The main ingredient of soap is sodium stearate. When soap is put into water, sodium stearate will react with calcium and magnesium ions in the water to produce water-insoluble calcium stearate and magnesium stearate.

Therefore, you can add soap to tap water to distinguish between soft and hard water: take a basin of water, add soap and stir.

• If there is less foam and more scum, it is hard water;
• On the contrary, if there is more foam and less scum or almost no scum, it is soft water

Common types of water purifiers include activated carbon, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, nanofiltration membranes, etc. These water purifiers can filter some impurities in the water, such as sand, rust, leaves, viruses, etc. Water purifiers can also remove some calcium and magnesium ions from hard water. Different filter combinations can play different roles.

Learn More About: Drinking Water in The UK

Learn More About: How to Test Water Hardness