Craigavon Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Craigavon, the new town in County Armagh straddling the boundary of Armagh City and Banbridge, is supplied by NI Water from the Upper River Bann catchment and the Mourne Mountain reservoir system distributed via the Southern Division network. The Upper Bann rises on the eastern slopes of the Mourne Mountains and flows northward through south County Down toward Lough Neagh — an important water resource corridor for NI Water. The upper Bann catchment drains a mixture of Mourne Granite (producing very soft water) and the drumlin-covered lowland of County Down and Armagh, where glacial till and Silurian sedimentary rocks contribute a moderate calcium increment. NI Water also draws on Lough Neagh supply via Dunore Point Water Treatment Works for the wider County Armagh distribution zone.

Craigavon's hardness of 129 mg/L (9.0°Clark) reflects the upper Bann and Lough Neagh supply blend with moderate drumlin country catchment contributions. The Silurian greywacke and glacial till of the County Down and Armagh drumlin belt contribute modest dissolved calcium to the supply above the pure Mourne granite baseline. The result is moderately soft water — softer than Newtownabbey (155 mg/L) but harder than the pure Mourne supply. The Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Northern Ireland classifies this as moderately soft.

Limescale is a moderate concern in Craigavon. At 129 mg/L, limescale forms gradually in kettles and descaling every one to two months is typically sufficient. Combi-boiler heat exchangers accumulate modest deposits; annual servicing is sensible. Showerheads and taps develop light deposits. Washing-up liquid lathers reasonably well. Calgon monthly in the washing machine and a periodic kettle descale is adequate limescale management for most Craigavon households.