The 50 postcode districts with the lowest water hardness levels, ranked by PPM.
Water is softest in upland and western supply areas. In this site's data the 50 softest districts are supplied by Welsh Water (Dwr Cymru) (29), South West Water (15), United Utilities (6).
| Supplier | Districts in the top 50 | Average ppm, all districts | Range, all districts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welsh Water (Dwr Cymru) | 29 | 68 ppm | 20 to 120 ppm |
| South West Water | 15 | 80 ppm | 27 to 138 ppm |
| United Utilities | 6 | 77 ppm | 34 to 142 ppm |
| Scottish Water | 0 | 54 ppm | 44 to 60 ppm |
Each supplier publishes its own hardness data, so you can cross-check any figure here: Scottish Water, Welsh Water, United Utilities and South West Water.
Manchester water is slightly hard, averaging 84 ppm across 42 districts. That is 123 ppm below the UK average of 207 ppm. United Utilities supplies it. Manchester is not in the top 50 above because the softest districts sit between 20 and 36 ppm.
Water below 60 ppm is classified as soft on this site. Limescale builds slowly on kettles, taps and shower heads at that level, and a water softener is not usually needed. See the effects of hard water for what changes as hardness rises.
In this site's postcode data, SY11 (Oswestry) is the softest district at 20 ppm, followed by SY12 (Ellesmere) at 21 ppm. All 50 districts in the table are between 20 and 36 ppm, against a UK average of 207 ppm.
Scottish water is generally soft. The 3 Scottish districts in this site's data average 54 ppm (44 to 60 ppm). Scottish Water publishes its own hardness data by supply zone, which is the better check for a specific address.
Mostly, yes. South West Water districts in this site's data average 80 ppm and range from 27 to 138 ppm, well below the UK average of 207 ppm. 15 of the 50 softest districts are supplied by South West Water.
Manchester water is slightly hard: the 42 Manchester districts in this site's data average 84 ppm, which is 123 ppm below the UK average of 207 ppm. United Utilities supplies it.
Yes. Soft water meets the same UK drinking water standards as hard water. Hardness affects taste and limescale, not safety.
Yes. A salt-regenerated water softener removes calcium and magnesium from the supply to the whole house. The water softener guide sets out sizing, running costs and what suits each hardness band.
On this site, soft water is below 60 ppm. The practical difference between soft and very soft is small, because both build little limescale. The ppm reading and your supplier's own data separate them.
Related: water softener guide and the 50 hardest water areas in the UK.
Soft water areas still vary postcode to postcode. A home testing kit lets you verify the exact hardness and check for other contaminants.
Home water test strips that check hardness, pH, chlorine, lead, and 12 other parameters. Results in around 60 seconds. 125 strips per pack.
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