Bridgnorth Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Hafren Dyfrdwy (the Severn Trent Shropshire and Wales subsidiary) supplies Bridgnorth, the spectacular cliff-top market town on the River Severn in Shropshire — the town famously divided by the Severn into the High Town (on the sandstone cliff) and Low Town (on the river bank), connected by the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway — from the River Severn abstracted at Trimpley near Bewdley, treated at Trimpley Water Treatment Works. At 98 mg/L (6.9°Clark), Bridgnorth's water is soft — characteristic of the moderately soft River Severn supply in this Shropshire reach of the river, where the relatively soft Welsh and Shropshire upland tributaries dominate the Severn's mineral character.

Bridgnorth is supplied directly from the River Severn at Trimpley above Stourport — the same Severn source that serves the south Worcestershire and north-west Midlands supply zone. The Severn above Bewdley carries soft water from the Cambrian Mountain headwaters and the Shropshire Hills tributaries (Teme, Onny), with very limited chalk or limestone contribution. The resulting 98 mg/L with TDS 222.3 mg/L is characteristic of the soft upper Severn supply character at Bridgnorth — considerably softer than the harder Severn–Cotswold limestone blend zones downstream.

At 98 mg/L, Bridgnorth's soft water is comfortable for domestic use with modest limescale demands. Descaling the kettle every two to three months is typically adequate. The combi-boiler benefits from a standard scale inhibitor as a sensible precaution. Washing-up liquid lathers well at everyday quantities. Taps and shower heads remain relatively scale-free with only occasional maintenance. The soft upper Severn supply at Bridgnorth is a pleasure for domestic use and a fitting quality for a town whose entire character is shaped by its intimate relationship with the River Severn flowing below.