Totton Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Totton, the large Hampshire suburb of Southampton immediately west of the city on the western bank of the River Test, is supplied by Southern Water from the River Test and the Hampshire Chalk Aquifer. The River Test is a world-famous chalk stream rising in the Chalk of the Hampshire Basin near Basingstoke and flowing south through the chalk downland of north and mid-Hampshire, accumulating very high dissolved calcium as it drains the Test valley chalk. Southern Water abstracts from the Test at Testwood Lakes near Totton — one of the largest abstraction sites in southern England — and supplements with chalk borehole groundwater from the Hampshire Basin chalk beneath the Test valley. The Upper Chalk of the Test catchment dissolves very high calcium, producing the characteristically very hard water of the Southampton/Totton supply area.

Totton's very hard water — 256 mg/L (18.0°Clark) — reflects the Hampshire Chalk Aquifer and Test valley chalk stream supply from Southern Water's Southampton/west Hampshire distribution zone. The TDS of 700.8 mg/L confirms the high chalk mineral content. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) classifies this supply as very hard.

Limescale is a very serious household challenge in Totton. At 256 mg/L, limescale forms in kettles within one to two weeks requiring fortnightly descaling. Combi-boiler heat exchangers face serious limescale risk — annual boiler servicing and a polyphosphate scale inhibitor are essential. Showerheads, taps, and shower screens develop very heavy deposits. Washing-up liquid lathers very poorly. Totton homeowners should strongly consider a whole-house water softener for effective protection against the very hard Hampshire chalk supply.