How Hard is Your Water?
Use our water hardness checker to find out how hard the water is in your area
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parts per million* The data within this tool is correct at the time of publishing and has been collected from Irish Water & Local County Councils. Water hardness is measured in PPM (mg/L)
Are these hard water issues familiar to you?
Clogged shower head
Stained kettles and coffee machines
Stained bathroom surfaces
Frequent maintenance of washing machines
Rough hair and skin
Water Hardness in Ireland
Ireland has very hard water with the counties like Meath, Laois, Dublin, Offaly, Waterford, Carlow among the worst affected.
Water having mineral concentration greater than 200 PPM mg/L would be considered as hard water. Based on the levels of water hardness in your area, you might experience varying effects on your appliances, skin, and hair.
What is hard water?
As Ireland’s leading water treatment experts, one of the most common questions we are asked is: “What is hard water?”
To help answer this, we have created a free online Water Hardness Checker that allows you to find out whether you live in an area affected by hard water.
Hard water is water that contains high levels of naturally occurring dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. In contrast, rainwater is naturally soft and contains very low levels of these minerals.
Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) is a naturally occurring compound found in limestone, chalk, and marble within the earth’s crust. As Ireland receives significant rainfall each year, rainwater naturally filters through the ground and absorbs these minerals before entering our water supplies. The higher the mineral content, the harder the water becomes.
While hard water is not generally considered a health risk, it can cause costly problems in homes and businesses. Over time, the minerals form limescale deposits inside pipes, boilers, water heaters, appliances, and other equipment. This build-up can reduce efficiency, increase energy consumption, and ultimately lead to equipment breakdown or premature failure.
Use our free Water Hardness Checker today to discover the hardness level in your area and learn how you can protect your home, appliances, and plumbing system from the effects of limescale.
Does your house have hard water or soft water?
You can’t simply tell by looking at water if it’s hard or soft. How the water feels on your skin and what it does to your appliances can be a tip-off.
Signs of hard water include:
Itchy Skin
Soap and shampoo do not wash away easily with hard water often leaving a scum. You may even have to wash your hands longer to remove that completely. The scum often deposits as a fine layer on your skin which can cause dry skin, irritation and itchy skin.
Spots
If you have hard water in your home, you’ll definitely notice white spots on your silverware. These spots are a result of calcium carbonate deposits.
Faded Laundry
Your detergent is no exception when it comes to hard water. Clothes washed in hard water look dingy and don’t feel completely clean. Often accompanies with fine residue, the clothes feel itchy as well.
Low Water Pressure
And finally, a noticeable sign to detect hard water is decreased pressure from faucets. This is most likely the result of limescale build up in pipes that prevents water from flowing freely.
No matter what, the surest way to know if you have hard water flowing in your house is to get a water test done as it only makes sense to know what you are treating before you decide to buy a water softener.
If your home water is supplied by a private well, a water test will reveal if you have any other contamination from iron, manganese, or bacteria. If that be the case, you will likely require a specialized well water treatment system.
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