380mg of limescale minerals in every litre, the median across IP districts
Is Ipswich a hard water area?
Yes. Tap water across the IP postcode area is very hard, the top band on the scale water companies use, with a median of 380 mg/L calcium carbonate. It ranges from 212 mg/L in IP27 to 463 mg/L in IP20, from 28 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 IP 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| IP20 | South Norfolk | 463 | very hard |
| IP17 | East Suffolk | 453 | very hard |
| IP12 | East Suffolk | 452 | very hard |
| IP18 | East Suffolk | 450 | very hard |
| IP21 | Mid Suffolk | 430 | very hard |
| IP31 | West Suffolk | 425 | very hard |
| IP22 | Mid Suffolk | 413 | very hard |
| IP6 | Mid Suffolk | 407 | very hard |
| IP14 | Mid Suffolk | 407 | very hard |
| IP1 | Ipswich | 402 | very hard |
| IP8 | Babergh | 396 | very hard |
| IP2 | Ipswich | 396 | very hard |
| IP7 | Babergh | 384 | very hard |
| IP13* | East Suffolk | 380 | very hard |
| IP15* | East Suffolk | 380 | very hard |
| IP16* | East Suffolk | 380 | very hard |
| IP19* | East Suffolk | 380 | very hard |
| IP23* | Mid Suffolk | 380 | very hard |
| IP30 | Mid Suffolk | 380 | very hard |
| IP32 | West Suffolk | 380 | very hard |
| IP4 | Ipswich | 375 | very hard |
| IP3 | Ipswich | 375 | very hard |
| IP25 | Breckland | 347 | very hard |
| IP29 | West Suffolk | 328 | very hard |
| IP33 | West Suffolk | 328 | very hard |
| IP9 | Babergh | 303 | very hard |
| IP10 | East Suffolk | 301 | very hard |
| IP5 | East Suffolk | 301 | very hard |
| IP28 | West Suffolk | 263 | very hard |
| IP11 | East Suffolk | 261 | very hard |
| IP26 | King's Lynn and West Norfolk | 248 | hard |
| IP24 | Breckland | 243 | hard |
| IP27 | West Suffolk | 212 | hard |
What to do about it
Hard water: compare softener quotes
At 380 mg/L most IP 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 212 and 463 mg/L.
Softener quotes for Ipswich
At 380 mg/L most IP 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.
100%
free, no obligation
shared only with your consent
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 Ipswich water
Is Ipswich a hard water area?
Yes. The median hardness across IP postcode districts is 380 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is very hard. 100% of the 33 districts we hold readings for are hard or very hard (180 mg/L and above).
What is the water hardness in Ipswich?
Between 212 and 463 mg/L depending on the district, with a median of 380. The hardest measured district is IP20 at 463 mg/L and the softest is IP27 at 212. 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 Ipswich?
In most IP homes a softener pays for itself: at 380 mg/L kettles, boilers and showers scale up quickly. Check your own district first, because hardness varies from 212 to 463 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.