Hard water households in London could save £676 a year on energy bills by installing a water softener in their home, new research published today showed.

People living in London – a predominantly hard water area – are more prone to limescale deposits building up within their heating system which cause blockages in pipework and boilers. This reduces the overall efficiency of a heating and plumbing system, resulting in higher water and energy bills. However, by installing filters and switching to softer water, households can make significant savings on their bills.

Hard water is measured in parts per million (ppm), noting how many particles of hardness are dissolved in the water – with anything over 200ppm considered to be hard water. Research by Harvey Water Softeners using the company’s online water hardness test showed that London has some of the hardest water in the UK, particularly in Camden and Soho. The company estimates that removing limescale from heating systems in these postcodes could save households £56 a month on their energy bills.

Today’s figures come as UK households grapple with ways to save on their household bills amid soaring energy costs. Ofgem, the UK’s energy sector regulator, recently announced its cap on prices would rise by over £800 to reach £2,800 by October 2022.

Tony Jones, General Manager at Harvey Water Softeners, said: “If you are living in a hard water area such as London, one way of offsetting soaring energy bills from increasing further is to install a water softener. Not only can it help to reduce your yearly bills, but it can also improve your home’s fuel efficiency and safeguard from a boiler malfunction and the incurred expense of getting this repaired.”

Switching to softer water could also help Londoners save an additional £50 a month on their shopping bill, according to previous research by Harvey Water Softeners. The minerals in hard water make it less effective in producing a lather when using cleaning products, meaning consumers have to use more of a product in order to get the same results gained through using soft water. This £50 monthly saving could be a lifeline to London households as supermarket items continue to rise in price.