Birdham lies in a very hard water area

Like much of the coastline and inland areas of West Sussex, Birdham has to put up with very hard water. It’s down to nature. The largely chalky soil in the area contains an abundance of calcium and magnesium minerals. Every time it rains, the naturally soft rainwater is turned hard by these minerals. And that’s the way it will stay – unless you have a water softener.

Hard water isn’t harmful – but it has plenty of downsides. It encourages dry skin and can aggravate conditions like eczema and dermatitis. After repeated washing in hard water, hair can start to lose its vibrancy. The same goes for laundry, which can become very starchy to the touch. If you experience limescale build-up in your kitchen and bathroom – around taps, sinks and shower screens – this is all caused by hard water. Scale also collects in household appliances, like kettles, dishwashers and washing machines. Regardless of how efficient you are at cleaning, the limescale will simply keep returning.

Central heating systems really bear the brunt. Over time, limescale can seriously impair a boiler’s performance, which will shorten its serviceable life and result in higher than necessary fuel bills. This is because scale blockage means the boiler has to expend more and more energy to generate the necessary amount of heat and hot water.

With a water softener in your home, all this hassle disappears for good. Softened water can deliver a multitude of lifestyle benefits for the whole family. Its superb for washing, cleaning and cooking. And you’ll certainly get a big thumbs up from your skin and hair.

In Birdham, the water hardness sits at around 250 parts per million (ppm). That’s very high, given any reading over 200ppm is deemed hard. With an efficient, cost-effective Scott Jenkins water softener installed, that reading will fall to almost zero.

Birdham – an Overview

Annual rainfall: 29.78 inch or 756.41.

Situated on the Manhood Peninsula, Birdham is a village five miles south west of Chichester in West Sussex. With a population of 1,483 at the 2011 census, Birdham nestles on the shores of Chichester Harbour and is home to a locked marina on the site of a former tide millpond. The St James’ Parish Church is a Grade I listed building.

During World War II, the area’s local holiday camps billeted troops who were in training for the amphibious D Day landings.