91mg of limescale minerals in every litre, the median across KW districts
Is Kirkwall a hard water area?
No. Tap water across the KW postcode area is moderately soft, with little limescale to speak of, with a median of 91 mg/L calcium carbonate. It ranges from 14 mg/L in KW10 to 115 mg/L in KW16, from 13 districts with their own water company reading and 3 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 KW 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| KW16 | Orkney Islands | 115 | moderately soft |
| KW15 | Orkney Islands | 111 | moderately soft |
| KW17* | Orkney Islands | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW6 | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW2 | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW7* | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW11* | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW14 | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW1 | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW13 | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW12 | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW5 | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW3 | Highland | 91 | moderately soft |
| KW9 | Highland | 14 | soft |
| KW8 | Highland | 14 | soft |
| KW10 | Highland | 14 | soft |
You do not need a softener in Kirkwall.
At 91 mg/L the practical effects are minor. If you notice anything, it is usually chlorine rather than hardness: a shower filter or a filter jug deals with that.
Check your exact postcode
The area figure is a median. Your district can sit anywhere between 14 and 115 mg/L.
Questions about Kirkwall water
Is Kirkwall a hard water area?
No. The median hardness across KW postcode districts is 91 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is moderately soft. 0% of the 16 districts we hold readings for are hard or very hard (180 mg/L and above).
What is the water hardness in Kirkwall?
Between 14 and 115 mg/L depending on the district, with a median of 91. The hardest measured district is KW16 at 115 mg/L and the softest is KW10 at 14. 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 Kirkwall?
Usually not. At a median of 91 mg/L limescale is a minor issue in Kirkwall. A filter jug or a shower filter covers the everyday effects. Only districts at 180 mg/L or above are worth a softener quote.
Hardness as mg/L calcium carbonate from water company drinking-water tests and postcode checkers. See the UK hardness map for every area.