The mains water supply in Lee-on-Solent is hard. This is why.

Like so much of the south coast of England, Lee-on-Solent experiences especially hard water. It’s not the fault of the rain – that’s naturally soft. The issue is the type of soil under our feet.

With Lee-on-Solent lying on mainly chalky soil, this means it is subject to a high level of calcium and magnesium minerals. Whenever rainwater reaches the soil, these calcium and magnesium components have the effect of turning the water from soft to hard. It’s what nature does!

For Lee-on-Solent homeowners, who aren’t overly impressed with persistently hard water, the wise decision is to have a water softener fitted. The advantages provided will be immediate! Take our skin and hair – they just love softened water! Soft water ensures they stay looking naturally shiny and vibrant. Laundry also feels much softer to the touch whenever there is soft water flowing through the washing machine.

The dreaded limescale – a scourge around the home – is caused by hard water. The great news is that water softeners are highly effective at stopping scale from accumulating in the first place – in household appliances like dishwashers, kettles and washing machines. Cleaning kitchens and bathrooms also becomes far easier – less elbow grease and less expense – since surfaces stay shinier for longer and use up less detergents when soft water is present. Furthermore, your hard-earned money will go much further with soft water coursing through your central heating system; the boiler won’t collect any scale, meaning it will be far more energy efficient. Welcome news, in times of rampant energy bills! Also be aware that, within a matter of months, hard water will alarmingly downgrade your boiler, affecting its performance and meaning it will need replacing way sooner than necessary.

Lee-on-Solent has a measurement of 284 parts per million (ppm) on the water hardness scale. This is high – given that any reading above 200ppm is considered hard. A water softener brings that number down to virtually zero.

Lee-on-Solent – an Overview

Annual rainfall: 21.43inch or 544.32mm.

With a population of around 7,500, Lee on Solent is on the Solent coast in the Hampshire Borough of Gosport, approximately five miles west of Portsmouth. Whilst being primarily a residential area, it used to be the home of the Royal Naval Air Station. HMS Daedalus.

Although HMS Daedalus closed in 1996, Daedalus Airfield remains active as a civil airfield with aircraft, helicopters, microlights and motorgliders all operating, from what is now the south coast’s principal HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopter base.

Lee-on-the-Solent is also home to the Hovercraft Museum, which features the world’s largest collection of rare hovercraft.