Hadley Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Severn Trent Water supplies Hadley, a residential suburb of Telford near Wellington in Telford and Wrekin, from the River Severn headwaters supply via Severn Trent's Welsh upland reservoirs (Clywedog and upper Severn catchment) and from local Shropshire Triassic Sandstone (Permo-Triassic New Red Sandstone) groundwater, treated at regional works before distribution across the Telford supply zone. At 129 mg/L (9.0°Clark), Hadley's water is slightly hard, reflecting a blend of the soft upper Severn supply with modest calcium contributions from the Triassic Sandstone and Carboniferous Coal Measures geology that underlies the Telford area.

Telford is built over a complex geological landscape dominated by Carboniferous Coal Measures (the historic Shropshire Coalfield of the Ironbridge Gorge and Coalbrookdale), Triassic Sandstone (the Wrekin area and Wellington basin), and older Palaeozoic rocks around The Wrekin. Severn Trent blends upper Severn reservoir supply with groundwater abstracted from the Triassic Sandstone aquifer, which contributes calcium and magnesium to the supply blend. The resulting 129 mg/L with TDS 320.1 mg/L is characteristic of a moderately mineralised blend — softer than the hard chalk zones of south-east England but harder than the upland reservoir baseline supply.

At 129 mg/L, limescale is a moderate but manageable domestic concern in Hadley. Descaling the kettle every six to eight weeks is typically adequate. The combi-boiler benefits from a standard scale inhibitor as a precaution. Washing-up liquid lathers adequately with normal amounts of product. Taps and shower heads develop light-to-moderate limescale deposits over several weeks; a monthly wipe with white vinegar keeps fixtures in good condition. The slightly hard supply is characteristic of the Telford new town development zone, where the water supply reflects the varied Shropshire geology beneath the town.