The water in London
- Hardness
- 250–361 ppm
- Band
- Medium – Hard
Tap water in London measures 250–361 ppm (14–20.2 °dH), which ranges anywhere from medium to hard, according to figures published by Thames Water / Affinity Water.
Built for this water
Ligeia
Mineral-rich water brings weight but mutes the top of the cup — and where alkalinity is high as well, it buffers the acidity and the cup arrives flat. Ligeia answers with higher-grown arabica and a shorter roast — more aroma, more lift, enough brightness to still read through the mineral.
See the blend →Your neighbourhood matters more than your city
The water in London runs from 250 ppm to 361 ppm — a spread of 111 ppm that crosses Medium → Hard. That is not imprecision: a city this size is served by several waterworks, and the average describes no tap in particular. Check which works supplies your street before you trust a city figure, ours included.
Against the SCA target zone
At its softest, London sits 2.3× above the top of the zone the SCA Water Chart marks as its target (2.8–6.2 °dH). Read that as a distance, not a verdict: the chart maps taste outcomes, it does not grade cities.
The same number, three ways
- °dH
- 14–20.2 °dH
- °f
- 25–36.1 °f
- ppm CaCO₃
- 250–361 ppm
German utilities publish °dH, French and Italian ones °f, British and Irish ones ppm CaCO₃. Same water, three conventions — worth knowing if you compare your city with one abroad.
Of the 47 cities we publish, London ranks 7th by hardness.
The other cities we publish in United Kingdom
Cities with the closest water to this one
Closest match abroad
The water most like London's, outside United Kingdom, is Cologne.
Cologne — 278–323 ppm →Where this number comes from
Published by Thames Water / Affinity Water. We do not estimate: a city without a figure we could read on the utility's own publication is not on this site at all.
Thames Water / Affinity Water →