258mg of limescale minerals in every litre, the median across GL districts
Is Gloucester a hard water area?
Yes. Tap water across the GL postcode area is very hard, the top band on the scale water companies use, with a median of 258 mg/L calcium carbonate. It ranges from 241 mg/L in GL9 to 281 mg/L in GL8, from 3 districts with their own water company reading and 24 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 GL 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| GL8 | Cotswold | 281 | very hard |
| GL3* | Tewkesbury | 258 | very hard |
| GL16* | Forest of Dean | 258 | very hard |
| GL17* | Forest of Dean | 258 | very hard |
| GL53* | Cheltenham | 258 | very hard |
| GL55* | Cotswold | 258 | very hard |
| GL19* | Forest of Dean | 258 | very hard |
| GL1* | Gloucester | 258 | very hard |
| GL2* | Gloucester | 258 | very hard |
| GL5* | Stroud | 258 | very hard |
| GL6* | Stroud | 258 | very hard |
| GL7 | Cotswold | 258 | very hard |
| GL10* | Stroud | 258 | very hard |
| GL11* | Stroud | 258 | very hard |
| GL13* | Stroud | 258 | very hard |
| GL14* | Forest of Dean | 258 | very hard |
| GL15* | Forest of Dean | 258 | very hard |
| GL18* | Forest of Dean | 258 | very hard |
| GL20* | Tewkesbury | 258 | very hard |
| GL50* | Cheltenham | 258 | very hard |
| GL51* | Cheltenham | 258 | very hard |
| GL52* | Cheltenham | 258 | very hard |
| GL4* | Gloucester | 258 | very hard |
| GL12* | South Gloucestershire | 258 | very hard |
| GL54* | Cotswold | 258 | very hard |
| GL56* | Cotswold | 258 | very hard |
| GL9 | Cotswold | 241 | hard |
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 258 mg/L most GL 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 241 and 281 mg/L.
Softener quotes for Gloucester
At 258 mg/L most GL 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 Gloucester water
Is Gloucester a hard water area?
Yes. The median hardness across GL postcode districts is 258 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is very hard. 100% of the 27 districts we hold readings for are hard or very hard (180 mg/L and above).
What is the water hardness in Gloucester?
Between 241 and 281 mg/L depending on the district, with a median of 258. The hardest measured district is GL8 at 281 mg/L and the softest is GL9 at 241. 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 Gloucester?
In most GL homes a softener pays for itself: at 258 mg/L kettles, boilers and showers scale up quickly. Check your own district first, because hardness varies from 241 to 281 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.