Water hardness

PL16 Lifton

Near or below the UK average. Limescale builds slowly.

At 50 ppm, Lifton ranks near the UK's softest water areas — compare it against the hardest areas.

Soft 50 ppm South West South West Water
Your reading
50
parts per million
Soft
Moderate
Hard
Very hard
0100200300400+

What this means for your home

Based on 50 ppm in Lifton (soft water).

  • Soap lathers easily with less product needed
  • Minimal limescale buildup in appliances
  • Gentle on skin and hair
  • May taste slightly flat compared to harder water
Heat loss
1%
Minimal scaling
Softener salt
£3–5
per year
Worth it?
No
at 50 ppm
Suggested for soft water
Filter jug (optional)
Mainly a taste preference, limescale won't be a real issue here.
From £20
Maintenance habits
Routine descaling once or twice a year is plenty.
Free
Softening

Should you soften the water in Lifton?

A verdict and running-cost estimate based on PL16's 50 ppm reading, for a typical 4-person household.

Softener optional

Water is soft to moderate, so limescale and soap costs are low and a softener rarely pays back.

Recommended size
24k
grain capacity, regenerates ~every 53.6 days
Salt running cost
£3–5
per year (~10 kg salt)
Limescale
1%
est. heater efficiency loss. Minimal scaling
Soap saving
Minimal
Water is already soft, so there is little detergent saving from softening.

Appliance impact at 50 ppm: negligible: appliances reach full expected life. Sized for a 4-person home; regenerates roughly every 54 days (estimate). Figures are conservative estimates and vary with household size and usage.

Water quality details

Hardness data for PL16

Sourced from South West Water's published water-quality reports and public records.

Hardness measurements

Parts per million (ppm CaCO₃)50
Degrees Clark (°Clark)3.5
Degrees French (°fH)5
Degrees German (°dH)2.8
Calcium (mg/L Ca²⁺)20

Supplier and area

Water supplier South West Water
Region South West
County Devon
Hardness band Soft
UK average 207 ppm
Visit South West Water page
Official source
South West Water water-hardness report

Most of the region is soft water, except East Devon; use the postcode lookup on this page to find your address's specific water quality.

Nearby

Other areas near Lifton

PL15
Launceston
49ppm
Soft
PL17
Callington
51ppm
Soft
PL18
Gunnislake
52ppm
Soft
FAQ

Common questions about PL16

What is the water hardness in PL16 Lifton?
The water in PL16 Lifton has a hardness level of 50 ppm (parts per million) calcium carbonate, classified as soft. This is 157 ppm below the UK national average of 207 ppm.
Which water company supplies PL16?
PL16 Lifton is supplied by South West Water. South West Water serves the South West region.
Is the water in PL16 safe to drink?
Yes. Soft water at 50 ppm is safe to drink. Water hardness affects taste and can cause limescale, but it is not a health risk. In fact, hard water contains beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium.
How can I reduce water hardness in PL16?
At 50 ppm, the water in PL16 is soft and unlikely to cause significant issues. A jug filter can improve taste, but a water softener is generally not necessary.
What does 50 ppm water hardness mean?
50 ppm means there are 50 parts per million of calcium carbonate dissolved in the water. This is equivalent to 3.5 Clark degrees, 2.8 German degrees, or 5 French degrees. Water above 180 ppm is generally considered hard.
What size water softener do I need in PL16?
For a typical 4-person home at 50 ppm, a 24,000 grain softener is a sensible size. It would regenerate roughly every 53.6 days. Larger households or higher daily use need a bigger unit. These figures are conservative estimates.
How much does it cost to run a water softener in PL16?
At 50 ppm, expect to use about 10 kg of salt a year, costing roughly £3–£5/year. Water is soft to moderate, so limescale and soap costs are low and a softener rarely pays back.

Your Lifton water action plan

Enter your email for the short list of things worth doing at 50 ppm, and the upgrades you can safely ignore.

Check another postcode

Compare hardness across areas before moving or buying a softener.