Why is the tap water in Fishbourne so hard?

Like much of West Sussex, the village of Fishbourne stands on chalky soil. When it rains, the magnesium and calcium deposits contained within the chalk have the effect of turning water hard. Every time it rains, the situation persists! This is one reason why many homeowners in the south of England choose to have a water softener installed, to ensure they receive consistently user-friendly soft water flowing through their taps!

For Fishbourne residents, the water hardness levels are consistently at around 280ppm (parts per million). This is considered to be at the high end of the scale and, whilst it doesn’t mean that you’ll need to wear a tin hat in the shower, you’ll certainly notice a considerable amount of staining and limescale build up in kitchens and bathrooms. Soaps and shampoos will also struggle to retain any lather!

Fishbourne – an Overview

Annual rainfall: 30.75 inch or 781mm

Fishbourne is a famously historic West Sussex village, situated a couple of miles west of Chichester. In the 2001 census, the population stood at just under 2000 people.  Even so, it has two pubs and a railway station. 

But perhaps Fishbourne is best known for its Roman Palace, a major archaeological site, which dates back to the Roman conquest of Britain in AD43. It was ravaged by fire in the 3rd century and never rebuilt.  

It lay undiscovered until 1960, when Portsmouth Water was installing a water main between Fishbourne and nearby to Birdham.  During the excavation of a trench, the Roman Palace remains were unearthed. It turned out to be the largest domestic building ever found in Britain.

In 2019, the elaborate grave of a real-life Iron Age resistance fighter, fleeing the Roman legionnaires, was discovered on a West Sussex building site. He’s known by several names, including North Bersted Man and the Fishbourne Warrior.