299mg of limescale minerals in every litre, the median across HP districts
Is Hemel Hempstead a hard water area?
Yes. Tap water across the HP postcode area is very hard, the top band on the scale water companies use, with a median of 299 mg/L calcium carbonate. It ranges from 235 mg/L in HP19 to 355 mg/L in HP8, from 20 districts with their own water company reading and 4 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 HP 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| HP8 | Buckinghamshire | 355 | very hard |
| HP14 | Buckinghamshire | 346 | very hard |
| HP3 | Dacorum | 330 | very hard |
| HP13 | Buckinghamshire | 330 | very hard |
| HP4 | Dacorum | 316 | very hard |
| HP15 | Buckinghamshire | 316 | very hard |
| HP11 | Buckinghamshire | 315 | very hard |
| HP5 | Buckinghamshire | 313 | very hard |
| HP21 | Buckinghamshire | 313 | very hard |
| HP23 | Dacorum | 303 | very hard |
| HP6* | Buckinghamshire | 299 | very hard |
| HP10* | Buckinghamshire | 299 | very hard |
| HP9* | Buckinghamshire | 299 | very hard |
| HP7* | Buckinghamshire | 299 | very hard |
| HP17 | Buckinghamshire | 295 | very hard |
| HP1 | Dacorum | 292 | very hard |
| HP22 | Buckinghamshire | 289 | very hard |
| HP16 | Buckinghamshire | 289 | very hard |
| HP27 | Buckinghamshire | 289 | very hard |
| HP20 | Buckinghamshire | 288 | very hard |
| HP2 | Dacorum | 288 | very hard |
| HP18 | Buckinghamshire | 283 | very hard |
| HP12 | Buckinghamshire | 274 | very hard |
| HP19 | Buckinghamshire | 235 | hard |
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 299 mg/L most HP 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 235 and 355 mg/L.
Softener quotes for Hemel Hempstead
At 299 mg/L most HP 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 Hemel Hempstead water
Is Hemel Hempstead a hard water area?
Yes. The median hardness across HP postcode districts is 299 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is very hard. 100% of the 24 districts we hold readings for are hard or very hard (180 mg/L and above).
What is the water hardness in Hemel Hempstead?
Between 235 and 355 mg/L depending on the district, with a median of 299. The hardest measured district is HP8 at 355 mg/L and the softest is HP19 at 235. 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 Hemel Hempstead?
In most HP homes a softener pays for itself: at 299 mg/L kettles, boilers and showers scale up quickly. Check your own district first, because hardness varies from 235 to 355 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.