Table of Contents
Check your water
How does your water compare to other areas of the UK?
Each postcode area is shown in its real position, with London enlarged in the inset. Hover or tap an area to see its typical hardness.
Your water
hardness
Conversions and sources
Local delivery
Why this filter?
Filter options for home and cafés
Your café filter plan
How your water affects filter coffee and espresso
How water affects your brews
Guides and FAQs
GuideWater and coffee, explainedHardness, alkalinity and the SCA standard
A cup of filter coffee is around 98% water, so what's dissolved in it shapes every sip. Two things matter most.
Pull flavour out of the coffee. Too little and cups taste thin; a healthy amount gives sweetness and body.
Buffers acidity. A little keeps coffee balanced; a lot flattens bright, fruity coffees and forms limescale.
That's why the same bag tastes different in York, where chalky water is high in both, and Harrogate, where Pennine reservoir water is soft.
The SCA water standard
| Measure | SCA target | Acceptable range |
|---|---|---|
| Total hardness (as CaCO₃) | – | 50–175 mg/l |
| Calcium hardness (as CaCO₃) | 68 mg/l | 17–85 mg/l |
| Total alkalinity (as CaCO₃) | 40 mg/l | 40–75 mg/l |
| Total dissolved solids | 150 mg/l | 75–250 mg/l |
| pH | 7.0 | 6.5–7.5 |
Water companies rarely publish alkalinity, so the checker estimates it at about 75% of total hardness in hard water and 55% in soft water. A test strip gives the exact figure.
GuideChoosing a filterSoftening, remineralising or carbon
Swaps out the calcium and bicarbonate behind scale and dull flavour. A bypass blends some water back to keep useful minerals.
BRITA PURITY C Quell ST · BWT bestmax PREMIUM · iX Café. At home: Peak Water jug.
Adds minerals back for fuller extraction and more body.
BWT bestmin PREMIUM. At home: a coffee mineral sachet.
Removes chlorine and odours without changing the minerals.
BRITA PURITY C Fresh, or any carbon jug.
GuideFilter planning for cafésCartridge sizes and replacement intervals
- Switch on the café option in the checker to size a cartridge from your weekly water use.
- Each suggestion is the smallest cartridge that lasts at least 8 months, replaced every 8–12 months for hygiene.
- Change it sooner if your filter head's meter reaches capacity. For espresso in very hard water, BRITA PURITY C Finest also helps prevent gypsum scale.
Budgeting too? Try our café cost per cup calculator.
GuideWater in York, Leeds, Harrogate & KnaresboroughOur local patch, area by area
We roast in York and supply cafés across our local patch, so we know these waters well.
| Area | Typical hardness | What it means for coffee |
|---|---|---|
| York | Hard (about 220 mg/l) | A softening filter lifts fruit and sweetness and protects machines from scale. |
| Leeds | Moderately soft to slightly hard (about 110 mg/l) | Close to the sweet spot; a high-bypass softening or carbon filter is plenty. |
| Harrogate | Soft (about 65 mg/l) | Within the SCA range. A carbon filter for taste is all most setups need. |
| Knaresborough | Soft (about 70 mg/l) | Similar to Harrogate; lovely for bright filter coffee. |
Figures vary by street and season. Yorkshire Water's postcode checker gives the reading for your exact supply zone.
FAQIs York's water hard or soft?
Hard, typically around 200–245 mg/l as CaCO₃ depending on your supply zone. A softening filter makes a noticeable difference to both flavour and limescale.
FAQShould I use bottled water for coffee?
Some low-mineral bottled waters brew lovely coffee, especially blended with hard tap water. Look for calcium under about 20 mg/l on the label.
FAQHow often should a café change its water filter?
Size the cartridge to last at least 8 months and change it at least every 12 months, or sooner if the flow meter reaches the cartridge's capacity.
FAQWhat does bypass mean on a water filter?
The share of water that skips the softening resin and is blended back in. Higher bypass keeps more minerals; harder water needs a lower bypass to reach the SCA range.
Ben, Head of Coffee at Harmony Coffee. Competition barista and trainer with over a decade in specialty coffee.
Suggestions only. Area figures are typical values from published water company data, and filter capacities are estimates from manufacturers' figures. For your exact setup, ask your equipment provider or get in touch with us. Harmony Coffee accepts no liability for decisions based on these suggestions, and has no commercial relationship with BWT, BRITA, WaterCare (iX) or Peak Water (September 2026).
