How hard is the water in East Sussex?

If you live in East Sussex, you’ll find that the water is hard

East Sussex has been plagued with hard water ever since rain started falling from the sky! If that sounds a bit dramatic – it isn’t meant to be. It’s all down to geology, really. You see, water is soft when it rains but, when it comes into contact with the ground, it doesn’t stay that way! East Sussex is renowned for its clay and chalk soil, which is rich in minerals like magnesium and calcium. Once the rain drains into the soil, these minerals have the effect of turning the soft rainwater hard.

Although the water hardness levels for East Sussex vary from place to place, most parts of the county register water hardness readings of above 250ppm (parts per million). Any reading above 200ppm is considered hard.

If you don’t want to put up with constant hard water in your home, the most effective solution is to have a water softener installed. You wouldn’t be the first if you did! Soft water systems are hugely popular amongst East Sussex households. Incidentally, with a water softener fitted in your home, your water hardness reading will fall spectacularly- virtually to zero!

Mains Drinking Water and Sewerage Services

The mains water and sewerage services for East Sussex are mainly provided by Southern Water and South East Water.

Live in East Sussex? Find out the hardness levels in your area:

Here are the specific water hardness readings for the following East Sussex locations: Brighton

Why is hard water a problem?

There isn’t anything that’s inherently bad about hard water. Indeed, people often prefer to drink hard water, as opposed to soft water, so it does have its good points. BUT, for the majority of time, there are loads of reasons why you don’t want to be going anywhere near hard water if you can avoid it – and much of the issues are down to limescale.

You get limescale build-up once hard water molecules are agitated. This might sound technical but, basically, whenever you boil or heat water in household appliances, such as through the boiler that runs your central heating, as well as your dishwasher, washing machine or kettle, this is when these molecules get themselves in a right state! So, every time you cook, clean, wash and put on the heating, the effects of hard water will emerge.

How is water hardness measured?

Water hardness is measured in particles per million (PPM). The amount of hardness particles that are dissolved in the water are rated, as follows:

In East Sussex, the mains water supply is categorised as hard or very hard.

How can I reduce the water hardness in my home?

To overcome the downside of hard water, the most effective solution is to have a domestic or commercial water softener fitted, whether in your home or business premises. You may wish to leave your drinking water unsoftened to make it more palatable. If you would like a water softener but want hard water to drink from the tap – no problem! It is easy to filter out your drinking water supply from the remainder of your softened mains supply.

What is a water softener and how does it work?

The softener attaches directly to the mains water supply and works by flushing out the hard water particles. The process by which this is done is known as “ion exchange”. This removes the calcium and magnesium minerals which make the water hard in the first place. Our high-quality softeners are filled with food-grade resin beads that are dosed with sodium ions. As the water passes through the tanks in the softener, the resin beads attract and hold on to the magnesium and calcium minerals and “exchange” them for sodium ions. This is the process that makes the water soft, thus ridding your property of any threat from limescale build-up.

The regularity will depend on the amount of water you use, but your softener will need to “regenerate” to flush away the magnesium and calcium ions on the resin beads. This happens automatically. A metering system informs the water softener when to regenerate. All you need to do is to ensure that the soft water system is regularly topped up with salt, which all water softeners depend upon to assist with the regeneration process. 

The benefits of soft water on your skin, hair and laundry

Skin, hair and laundry absolutely love soft water! It makes your skin and hair feel smoother and silkier, plus you’ll quickly notice that your soaps, shampoos and gels will all last that much longer.

And, from first-hand experience, we know that skin conditions, such as eczema and dermatitis, respond really well to regular soft water exposure.

Also, your laundry will be softer to the touch, sinks and shower screens stay cleaner for much longer and they won’t look stained. Your household appliances will also run much more efficiently. Plus, you won’t get through as much Cif or Mr Muscle because you won’t be facing a constant battle against hard water!

Will my water softener need to be serviced?

To be on the safe side, servicing always makes good sense – for a variety of reasons. Even though, our water softeners are well-built, known for their reliability and designed to last for many years, they work best when well maintained. For this reason, we would always recommend you take out one of our Annual Service Plans.

What does the SJ Water Softeners Annual Service Plan include?

This is a once-yearly health check to ensure your water softener is functioning optimally. We’ll check there are no leaks, that the resin is given a good clean – this is very important – and that everything is in order with the working parts, like the bypass valves. We’ll also check that the overflow is cleared of any blockages.

Being on our annual service plan won’t just prolong the life of your water softener – it will also save you any outlay on unexpected maintenance issues.

What’s more, you don’t need to be an existing SJ Water Softeners customer to benefit from an Annual Service Plan. 

Other Annual Service Plan benefits – Warranties, Parts, Salt

• Save money on any parts that need replacing, such as filters – we’ll take £10 off the standard price of a replacement. Plus, we will give you a 10-year warranty on all parts – as opposed to the standard manufacturers’ warranty you’d otherwise receive.
• Reduced cost of salt supplies. When we do your yearly Health Check, we’ll stock you with sufficient salt to last until your next annual inspection – saving you money on bulk purchases and on delivery charges.
• Sign up for a plan and get a free faucet and filter (worth £120)

The whole Annual Service Plan Package costs just £65.00, inclusive of VAT.