Hard Water: What Actually Is It?

Hard water is classified as water containing dissolved calcium and magnesium between a range of 200 – 300 mg/l CaCO3 (Drinking Water Inspectorate). This type of water can leave unwanted scaling on appliances but can also affect your health. But should you be concerned about it? Should you use a water softener? And, more importantly, how can you address the challenges it presents with the best office kitchen taps for hard water in the UK?

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water contains a high concentration of dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. When rain falls, it’s naturally soft, but as it moves through porous rocks like limestone and chalk, it absorbs these minerals, resulting in hard water. Whether you experience hard or soft water depends largely on where you live, with UK regions rich in limestone and chalk being the most affected areas.

How Does Hard Water Affect Your Home and Appliances?

If you live in an area with hard water, you’re likely familiar with the white, crusty residue known as limescale that builds up in appliances like kettles, dishwashers, and even plumbing. This buildup can impact the efficiency of your appliances but can also reduce their lifespan. Over time, limescale acts as an insulator, causing appliances to work harder and use more energy, which can also increase your utility bills. Therefore, installing a water softener can help manage these issues, noting Billi UK offers limescale which softens hard water by default.

While Billi’s advanced water filtration systems can ensure that hard water doesn’t come out of your tap in the office. Our premium filters remove minerals and other contaminants from your tap water, improving the taste and odour.

Is It OK to Drink Hard Water?

Many people wonder, is it OK to drink hard water? The answer is yes. According to the World Health Organization guidelines, there is no evidence to suggest that drinking hard water is harmful.

The National Research Council of the United States even states that the calcium and magnesium in hard water can contribute to your dietary intake of these essential minerals.

Does Hard Water Affect Taste?

While hard water is safe to drink (below 300 mg/l CaCO3), it is often not pleasant. Some people find that hard water has a chalky or metallic taste, which can detract from the flavour of their beverages. Furthermore, when used for making tea or coffee, hard water can alter the taste and reduce the quality of the brew. Billi’s advanced filtration systems are designed to retain the beneficial minerals in hard water while removing any impurities that can affect taste, providing filtered water that’s delicious while still being healthy.

Tea and coffee drinkers in particular may notice that hard water brews darker, thicker beverages that lack the flavour and fragrance of those made with soft or filtered water. This is because the minerals in hard water interfere with the delicate balance of antioxidants and flavour compounds in tea, resulting in a less pleasant drinking experience. If you’re passionate about your daily cup of tea, switching to filtered water from the best taps for hard water UK could make a significant difference to the flavour and aroma.

How to Improve the Taste of Hard Water

You don’t need to move to a soft-water region to enjoy better-tasting water. While bottled water is an option, it’s not the most environmentally friendly or cost-effective solution. A much better alternative is to install a water filtration system, like those available from Billi. Our under-bench systems filter out unwanted minerals and impurities, ensuring that you always have access to fresh, great-tasting water straight from the tap. Not only does this improve the flavour of your water, but it also enhances the taste of beverages like tea and coffee.

Best Kitchen Taps for Hard Water in the UK

When it comes to choosing the best office kitchen taps for hard water in the UK, it’s important to select a system that can handle the unique challenges posed by mineral-heavy water. Billi taps can be used in hard water areas, with advanced filtration systems that effectively remove limescale and other impurities.

Our taps provide instant filtered boiling, chilled, sparkling, or ambient water, allowing you to enjoy a variety of drinks without the hassle of traditional kettles or water filters. Plus, Billi’s compact under-bench design saves space in your kitchen, offering an elegant and eco-friendly solution to your water needs. Use the 3D configurator to see which tap is best suited to your needs.

Start Filtering Your Water with Billi

Hard water may present challenges, but with the right solutions in place, you can enjoy the benefits of water naturally rich in certain minerals without the drawbacks. Billi’s range of undercounter water systems offers an effective and eco-friendly solution. Whether you’re looking to improve the quality of your drinking water or enjoy better-tasting tea and coffee, Billi has the best taps for hard water in the UK.

Shop online for our advanced filtration technology that ensures that your water is clean and refreshing.

Ask for advice on how to buy Billi taps, and a Billi UK team member will contact you to discuss your needs.