330mg of limescale minerals in every litre, the median across CB districts
Is Cambridge a hard water area?
Yes. Tap water across the CB postcode area is very hard, the top band on the scale water companies use, with a median of 330 mg/L calcium carbonate. It ranges from 278 mg/L in CB7 to 499 mg/L in CB9, from 7 districts with their own water company reading and 9 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 CB 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CB9 | West Suffolk | 499 | very hard |
| CB10 | Uttlesford | 360 | very hard |
| CB11 | Uttlesford | 333 | very hard |
| CB8 | East Cambridgeshire | 330 | very hard |
| CB21* | Cambridge | 330 | very hard |
| CB2* | Cambridge | 330 | very hard |
| CB1* | Cambridge | 330 | very hard |
| CB3* | Cambridge | 330 | very hard |
| CB4* | Cambridge | 330 | very hard |
| CB22* | South Cambridgeshire | 330 | very hard |
| CB24* | South Cambridgeshire | 330 | very hard |
| CB23* | South Cambridgeshire | 330 | very hard |
| CB5* | Cambridge | 330 | very hard |
| CB25 | East Cambridgeshire | 317 | very hard |
| CB6 | East Cambridgeshire | 278 | very hard |
| CB7 | East Cambridgeshire | 278 | very hard |
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 330 mg/L most CB 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 278 and 499 mg/L.
Softener quotes for Cambridge
At 330 mg/L most CB homes get their money back on a softener within a few years. Free quotes from installers covering your postcode.
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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 Cambridge water
Is Cambridge a hard water area?
Yes. The median hardness across CB postcode districts is 330 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is very hard. 100% of the 16 districts we hold readings for are hard or very hard (180 mg/L and above).
What is the water hardness in Cambridge?
Between 278 and 499 mg/L depending on the district, with a median of 330. The hardest measured district is CB9 at 499 mg/L and the softest is CB7 at 278. 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 Cambridge?
In most CB homes a softener pays for itself: at 330 mg/L kettles, boilers and showers scale up quickly. Check your own district first, because hardness varies from 278 to 499 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.