For many people working in offices, water coolers can offer more than just a chance to quench a thirst and try to fulfil some cliché about career development. In some cases, it will be the best water they get to taste all day.

This is because the water coolers we offer come with filters that ensure the water that comes out of the tap is better than what has been piped through the mains.

Of course, British tap water is perfectly drinkable all over the country, but in some places, hard water is prevalent and to many people, it has an unpleasant taste. 

It is also notorious for filling kettles with limescale and, when used in washing, is bad for hair and clothes alike. Here in Yorkshire, the water is quite hard.

What Makes Water Hard?

The hardness of water depends on the amount of calcium and magnesium dissolved in it. 

This can vary across the UK, especially due to the geology of the areas that it comes from, either because of where reservoirs are located or, even more importantly, when groundwater is taken from areas with higher concentrations of the minerals.

A look at any water hardness map of the UK provides a clear indication of where people may benefit most from a filter to reduce the hardness.

There is a broad correlation between upland areas of Britain further north and west that rely more on water from reservoirs in the hills and mountains, and those further south and east, where chalk streams and groundwater play a bigger role.

It is not entirely that way, of course; while the East of England has the hardest water, the relative hardness of Yorkshire’s contrasts with the soft water found across the Pennines in the north-west (apart from Cheshire) and the very soft water enjoyed in the north-east.  

To remove the unpleasant taste of hard water, you may find that a water cooler with a built-in filter proves to be one of the most popular additions you can make.