Hampshire · South East

Is Portsmouth water hard or soft?

Hard at 261 ppm · 34 postcode districts

  • Supplier Portsmouth Water
  • County Hampshire
  • Postcodes 34
Area average
261
ppm CaCO₃
Hard
Soft
Moderate
Hard
Very hard
0100200300400+

Portsmouth water hardness at a glance

  1. Portsmouth water is hard, averaging 261 ppm across 34 postcode districts.
  2. That is 54 ppm above the UK average of 207 ppm.
  3. The hardest district is PO22 at 287 ppm; the softest is PO30 at 237 ppm.
  4. The supplier is Portsmouth Water.
  5. Expect limescale on kettles, taps and showerheads; see the water softener guide for sizing and costs.

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The average water hardness in Portsmouth is 261 ppm, classified as hard. Portsmouth is served by Portsmouth Water, covering 34 postcode districts across Hampshire in the South East region.

Hardness varies across the area. See the table below for a breakdown by postcode district. PO22 has the hardest water at 287 ppm, while PO30 is the softest at 237 ppm.

By postcode

Water Hardness by Postcode in Portsmouth

Sorted by hardness. Tap a postcode for full details.

Postcode Water Company Hardness PPM Level
PO22 Portsmouth Water
287
287 ppm Hard
PO21 Portsmouth Water
286
286 ppm Hard
PO20 Portsmouth Water
285
285 ppm Hard
PO9 Portsmouth Water
283
283 ppm Hard
PO8 Portsmouth Water
282
282 ppm Hard
PO7 Portsmouth Water
281
281 ppm Hard
PO6 Portsmouth Water
280
280 ppm Hard
PO5 Portsmouth Water
279
279 ppm Hard
PO4 Portsmouth Water
278
278 ppm Hard
PO3 Portsmouth Water
277
277 ppm Hard
PO2 Portsmouth Water
276
276 ppm Hard
PO1 Portsmouth Water
275
275 ppm Hard
PO41 Portsmouth Water
271
271 ppm Hard
PO40 Portsmouth Water
270
270 ppm Hard
PO19 Portsmouth Water
261
261 ppm Hard
PO18 Portsmouth Water
260
260 ppm Hard
PO17 Portsmouth Water
259
259 ppm Hard
PO16 Portsmouth Water
258
258 ppm Hard
PO15 Portsmouth Water
257
257 ppm Hard
PO14 Portsmouth Water
256
256 ppm Hard
PO13 Portsmouth Water
255
255 ppm Hard
PO12 Portsmouth Water
254
254 ppm Hard
PO11 Portsmouth Water
253
253 ppm Hard
PO10 Portsmouth Water
252
252 ppm Hard
PO39 Portsmouth Water
246
246 ppm Hard
PO38 Portsmouth Water
245
245 ppm Hard
PO37 Portsmouth Water
244
244 ppm Hard
PO36 Portsmouth Water
243
243 ppm Hard
PO35 Portsmouth Water
242
242 ppm Hard
PO34 Portsmouth Water
241
241 ppm Hard
PO33 Portsmouth Water
240
240 ppm Hard
PO32 Portsmouth Water
239
239 ppm Hard
PO31 Portsmouth Water
238
238 ppm Hard
PO30 Portsmouth Water
237
237 ppm Hard
Suppliers

Water Companies Serving Portsmouth

Tap for full coverage area and hardness data.

Portsmouth Water

261 ppm Hard

Each water company publishes its own hardness data, so you can cross-check the Portsmouth figures here against the published hardness data from Portsmouth Water.

Water Hardness Guides

Learn more about water hardness and how to manage it.

What Is Water Hardness? Effects Solutions Water Softeners Limescale Removal
Recommended

Products for Portsmouth

Popular choices for households dealing with hard water.

Splendid Twin Tank Water Softener

Twin-tank electric softener sized for 1 to 7 bedroom homes. Removes limescale from pipes, boilers, and appliances and delivers continuous soft water, with metered regeneration to keep salt use low.

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Philips Shower Filter

Quick win for skin and hair in hard water areas. Reduces chlorine and limescale, fits standard shower hoses in minutes, no tools needed. Cartridge lasts around 6 months.

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BRITA Marella Water Filter Jug

UK's best-selling filter jug. Reduces limescale, chlorine, and metals for better-tasting tap water. Quick first step alongside a softener.

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FAQ

Common questions about Portsmouth water

Is Portsmouth water hard or soft?
Portsmouth is classified as hard, averaging 261 ppm across 34 postcode districts. Expect visible limescale on kettles and taps within weeks at this level.
Which postcode in Portsmouth has the hardest water?
PO22 has the hardest water in Portsmouth at 287 ppm, while PO30 is the softest at 237 ppm. See the full table above for every district.
Which water company supplies Portsmouth?
Portsmouth is supplied by Portsmouth Water, covering 34 postcode districts across Hampshire.
Is tap water in Portsmouth safe to drink?
Hardness is not a safety issue: the World Health Organization sets no health-based limit for water hardness, so hard and soft water are both fine to drink. Drinking water quality is regulated by the Drinking Water Inspectorate in England and Wales and the Drinking Water Quality Regulator in Scotland, and your water company publishes test results for your area.
Do I need a water softener in Portsmouth?
At 261 ppm, many households in Portsmouth notice limescale in kettles and showerheads within weeks. A shower filter is the cheapest first step; a whole-house softener gives the most complete protection.
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