An expert has shared their advice for tackling limescale in your home as the 10 UK towns and cities with the hardest water have been revealed. Hard water doesn’t have dangerous health side effects, but it does cause issues in your home with things like heating and appliances. If you live in a hard water hotspot in the UK, it’s important to know how you can deal with it so you don’t run into issues.
John Zentveld, Senior Product Specialist at HG, explained exactly what hard water is, how it should be dealt with and where you’re most likely to encounter it. Hard water contains a high mineral content, mostly calcium and magnesium. The hardness of water is measured in parts per million (ppm), which is the amount of calcium carbonate that is in a litre of water. This typically becomes a problem when we get a buildup of limescale in appliances like kettles and dishwashers, and build-ups in household pipes. It can reduce water pressure and cause leaks.
The town with the hardest water is Ipswich in Suffolk, with 378 parts per million (ppm). In second place is Norwich, with a measurement of 346 ppm, followed by Sunderland, with 343 ppm.
The top 10 towns/cities in the UK with the hardest water are:
- Ipswich (378 ppm)
- Norwich (346 ppm)
- Sunderland (343 ppm)
- St. Albans (342 ppm)
- Bury St. Edmund’s (339 ppm)
- Stevenage (338 ppm)
- Basildon (335 ppm)
- Colchester (332 ppm)
- Reading (329 ppm)
- Chelmsford (327 ppm)
When it comes to overall regions, rather than towns and cities, the areas with the hardest water are London, the South East and the East of England, with a measurement of more than 200 ppm. Areas that have ‘moderately hard to hard’ water include the East Midlands and West Midlands.
Experts recommend using a powerful yet gentle limescale remover specifically designed to target and dissolve even the most stubborn deposits.
To do this, start by applying the product directly to the affected area and leave it to work for a few minutes to let it break down the limescale. You then simply leave it and wash it off for limescale-free appliances and surfaces.
When limescale is particularly stubborn, you can use cola, which is perfectly acidic, for removing limescale from toilets. All you have to do is leave it overnight and flush the next day.
Buttermilk is also a great option as it makes limescale wipe away easily when it is left overnight. Plus, you can also mix fabric softener with warm water to tackle limescale.
John explained: “Many parts of the UK experience very hard water. We’ve seen firsthand how persistent limescale can pose various challenges for households. However, it is a problem that varies dramatically by region.”
British Water says that even a thin 1mm layer of limescale on heating elements can drive up energy consumption by 7-10%. This can add an estimated £150-£300 to annual energy bills because limescale acts as an insulator, so some of your appliances have to work harder to function and get to their desired temperatures.
