295mg of limescale minerals in every litre, the median across BH districts
Is Bournemouth a hard water area?
Yes. Tap water across the BH postcode area is very hard, the top band on the scale water companies use, with a median of 295 mg/L calcium carbonate. It ranges from 286 mg/L in BH18 to 305 mg/L in BH19, from 7 districts with their own water company reading and 19 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 BH 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BH19 | Dorset | 305 | very hard |
| BH20 | Dorset | 305 | very hard |
| BH16 | Dorset | 297 | very hard |
| BH10* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH1* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH2* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH4* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH6* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH8* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH9* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH11* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH12* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH13* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH15 | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH17 | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH21* | Dorset | 295 | very hard |
| BH23* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH31* | Dorset | 295 | very hard |
| BH3* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH5* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH14 | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH22* | Dorset | 295 | very hard |
| BH24* | New Forest | 295 | very hard |
| BH25* | New Forest | 295 | very hard |
| BH7* | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 295 | very hard |
| BH18 | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 286 | very hard |
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 295 mg/L most BH 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 286 and 305 mg/L.
Softener quotes for Bournemouth
At 295 mg/L most BH 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 Bournemouth water
Is Bournemouth a hard water area?
Yes. The median hardness across BH postcode districts is 295 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is very hard. 100% of the 26 districts we hold readings for are hard or very hard (180 mg/L and above).
What is the water hardness in Bournemouth?
Between 286 and 305 mg/L depending on the district, with a median of 295. The hardest measured district is BH19 at 305 mg/L and the softest is BH18 at 286. 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 Bournemouth?
In most BH homes a softener pays for itself: at 295 mg/L kettles, boilers and showers scale up quickly. Check your own district first, because hardness varies from 286 to 305 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.