Is my water already softened?

It’s unlikely that your water will be artificially softened unless you have a water softener installed.

Water hardness does vary across the country and in some areas of the UK the water is naturally soft. You can look up the hardness level of the water in your area using this link or ask the company that supplies water to your home.

Most water companies don’t soften the water in their water supply. It’s not because they can’t, it’s because it’s not cost effective. Studies have shown that it’s more economical to soften water at the point of use, which is what a water softener does.

The only supplier that softens water to some degree is SES Water who supplies water in the Sutton and East Surrey area in the South East of England. The water is purified before it is safe to drink and the quality is improved through a process it calls ‘softening’.

It’s a different process to a water softener and it doesn’t fully soften the water to the levels that a Harvey water softener does.

Across the UK, many people suffer from the effects of hard water. If you’re unsure whether you have hard water in your home, try our water quality test to find out how hard the water is in your area. Check your water hardness here.