288mg of limescale minerals in every litre, the median across BA districts
Is Bath a hard water area?
Yes. Tap water across the BA postcode area is very hard, the top band on the scale water companies use, with a median of 288 mg/L calcium carbonate. It ranges from 143 mg/L in BA22 to 321 mg/L in BA2, from 14 districts with their own water company reading and 5 estimated from the area.
- Soft
- 0 to 60 mg/L
- Moderately soft
- 60 to 120 mg/L
- Slightly hard
- 120 to 180 mg/L
- Hard
- 180 to 200 mg/L
- Very hard
- 200 to 400 mg/L
Hardness by BA district
Hardest first. Hard starts at 180 mg/L, very hard at 250. Districts marked with an asterisk take the area's median rather than a reading of their own.
| District | Area | mg/L | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA2 | Bath and North East Somerset | 321 | very hard |
| BA12 | Wiltshire | 303 | very hard |
| BA1 | Bath and North East Somerset | 301 | very hard |
| BA7 | Somerset | 290 | very hard |
| BA10 | Somerset | 290 | very hard |
| BA8 | Somerset | 290 | very hard |
| BA9 | Somerset | 290 | very hard |
| BA3* | Somerset | 288 | very hard |
| BA4* | Somerset | 288 | very hard |
| BA5* | Somerset | 288 | very hard |
| BA6* | Somerset | 288 | very hard |
| BA16* | Somerset | 288 | very hard |
| BA21 | Somerset | 285 | very hard |
| BA11 | Somerset | 283 | very hard |
| BA14 | Wiltshire | 281 | very hard |
| BA15 | Wiltshire | 268 | very hard |
| BA13 | Wiltshire | 264 | very hard |
| BA20 | Somerset | 172 | moderately hard |
| BA22 | Somerset | 143 | moderately hard |
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 288 mg/L most BA homes get their money back on a softener within a few years. A filter will not touch limescale; only a softener does.
- Free quotes
- Local installers
- No obligation
Check your own district first
The area figure is a median. Your district can sit anywhere between 143 and 321 mg/L.
Softener quotes for Bath
At 288 mg/L most BA homes get their money back on a softener within a few years. Free quotes from installers covering your postcode.
Request a free assessment and we'll come back to you with local installer options for your area.
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Before you buy
- Do I need a water softener?The hardness bands, the symptoms, and when the answer is no
- Best water softener UKHarvey, Kinetico, BWT, Monarch and Water2Buy compared
- Water softener costUnit, fitting and salt, and how long the payback takes
- Installation explainedWhere it goes, the bypass tap, the drain, DIY or plumber
- Harvey vs KineticoThe two premium twin-cylinder brands, side by side
- Softener salt guideTablet, block or granular, and how much you get through
- Salt-free softenersConditioners and electronic descalers, honestly assessed
Questions about Bath water
Is Bath a hard water area?
Yes. The median hardness across BA postcode districts is 288 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is very hard. 89% of the 19 districts we hold readings for are hard or very hard (180 mg/L and above).
What is the water hardness in Bath?
Between 143 and 321 mg/L depending on the district, with a median of 288. The hardest measured district is BA2 at 321 mg/L and the softest is BA22 at 143. Figures come from water company drinking-water tests, with postcode-area estimates for districts that have no reading of their own.
Do I need a water softener in Bath?
In most BA homes a softener pays for itself: at 288 mg/L kettles, boilers and showers scale up quickly. Check your own district first, because hardness varies from 143 to 321 within the area.
Hardness as mg/L calcium carbonate from water company drinking-water tests and postcode checkers. See the UK hardness map for every area.