How hard is the water in Alresford?
Water hardness reading in Alresford:
280 ppm (very hard)
If you live in Alresford, you’ll experience hard water.
Along with the rest of Hampshire and, indeed, large parts of the south-east of England, Alresford is subjected to hard water. It isn’t the fault of the water companies who provide the water, although they don’t actually do anything to make water soft! In fact, it’s the soil beneath our feet which is the cause of hard water.
Alresford sits on predominantly clay and limestone soil, which is full of calcium and magnesium minerals. Rainfall is naturally soft, but when it drains into the soil, the calcium and magnesium components have the effect of turning the water from soft to hard.
Consequently, if you live in Alresford and don’t care much for hard water, the most effective solution is to have a water softener fitted. This will provide immediate benefits. Soft water is great for dry skin and your hair will look and feel shinier and softer. Laundry, too, won’t go all starchy like it does when subjected in hard water.
What’s more, a water softener will repel dreaded limescale build up in pipework and household appliances. Washing machines and dishwashers also respond well to softened water, making it far easier to keep kitchen and bathroom surfaces shiny and clean for longer. And, with rising energy bills, you’ll spend less on heating and hot water, because your boiler won’t need to work so hard, continuously fighting against scale build up, which will seriously downgrade its performance.
In Alresford, water hardness readings are at around 280 parts per million (ppm). This fluctuates depending on rainfall quantities but, fundamentally, that’s still a pretty hefty reading, given that any measurement over 200ppm is considered hard.
Alresford – an Overview
Annual rainfall: 30.75inch or 781mm.
New Alresford, or simply Alresford, is a Hampshire market town 7.5 miles northeast of Winchester and 12 miles southwest of Alton.
The town is famous for its production of watercress and is recognised as The Capital of Watercress. Alresford acts as the south western terminus of the Watercress steam heritage railway line (the Mid-Hants Railway), so named because it was the route used to transport locally grown watercress up to London. Once a year, in May, Alresford holds a Watercress festival attracting large crowds.
Crowned by its large T-shaped main street conservation area, the town is an attractive tourist destination, featuring two classically Georgian main streets featuring jewellers, wine merchants, butchers, flower shops, art galleries and tea rooms.
The cricket commentator John Arlott resided in Alresford between 1961 and 1981, whilst the award-winning actor Colin Firth used to live in Alresford as a young boy.
Mains and Drinking Water in Alresford
The water utilities in Alresford are supplied by South-East Water.