29mg of limescale minerals in every litre, the median across M districts
Is Manchester a hard water area?
No. Tap water across the M postcode area is soft, so limescale is not a problem here, with a median of 29 mg/L calcium carbonate. It ranges from 21 mg/L in M38 to 37 mg/L in M34, from 41 districts with their own water company reading and 1 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 M 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M34 | Tameside | 37 | soft |
| M9 | Manchester | 34 | soft |
| M43 | Tameside | 33 | soft |
| M11 | Manchester | 32 | soft |
| M45 | Bury | 31 | soft |
| M1 | Manchester | 31 | soft |
| M14 | Manchester | 31 | soft |
| M24 | Rochdale | 31 | soft |
| M12 | Manchester | 31 | soft |
| M13 | Manchester | 31 | soft |
| M40 | Manchester | 31 | soft |
| M21 | Manchester | 31 | soft |
| M18 | Manchester | 31 | soft |
| M15 | Manchester | 30 | soft |
| M19 | Manchester | 30 | soft |
| M25 | Bury | 30 | soft |
| M16 | Trafford | 30 | soft |
| M20 | Manchester | 30 | soft |
| M35 | Oldham | 30 | soft |
| M50 | Salford | 29 | soft |
| M4 | Manchester | 29 | soft |
| M5* | Salford | 29 | soft |
| M3 | Salford | 29 | soft |
| M7 | Salford | 28 | soft |
| M8 | Manchester | 28 | soft |
| M2 | Manchester | 28 | soft |
| M6 | Salford | 28 | soft |
| M22 | Manchester | 27 | soft |
| M33 | Trafford | 27 | soft |
| M23 | Manchester | 27 | soft |
| M26 | Bury | 26 | soft |
| M32 | Trafford | 24 | soft |
| M17 | Trafford | 24 | soft |
| M30 | Salford | 24 | soft |
| M41 | Trafford | 23 | soft |
| M31 | Trafford | 23 | soft |
| M27 | Salford | 22 | soft |
| M29 | Wigan | 21 | soft |
| M46 | Wigan | 21 | soft |
| M28 | Salford | 21 | soft |
| M44 | Salford | 21 | soft |
| M38 | Salford | 21 | soft |
You do not need a softener in Manchester.
At 29 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 21 and 37 mg/L.
Questions about Manchester water
Is Manchester a hard water area?
No. The median hardness across M postcode districts is 29 mg/L calcium carbonate, which is soft. 0% of the 42 districts we hold readings for are hard or very hard (180 mg/L and above).
What is the water hardness in Manchester?
Between 21 and 37 mg/L depending on the district, with a median of 29. The hardest measured district is M34 at 37 mg/L and the softest is M38 at 21. 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 Manchester?
Usually not. At a median of 29 mg/L limescale is a minor issue in Manchester. 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.