Posted by Michael Gale
on March 27, 2026
Hard water is a common problem for many Australian households that can affect your plumbing, skin, laundry, and pretty much everything in your home.
While hard water is not considered safe to drink, having a high amount of minerals in your water can cause ongoing issues around your home that can be expensive and frustrating to repair later on. But once you understand what hard water is and how to identify and test it, you will be able to determine whether or not it is something that you should be treating.
What does Hard Water Mean?
What is commonly known as hard water actually means that the water is high in minerals. More specifically, hard water is water that has a high concentration of minerals, usually calcium and magnesium, but also other metals and minerals as well. Hard water is created as the water arrives at and moves through the soil and rock, and the various underground sources. In Australia, you may find that water hardness varies in different locations and different water supplies.
Some areas will have soft water, whereas others will have extremely hard water due to specific geological and water conditions in the area. It is important to remember, though, that hard water is not the same as dirty or polluted water. In fact, hard water is usually perfectly healthy and contains extra minerals that are beneficial for the body. However, the effects on the water around the house can be annoying and frustrating to deal with.
The more minerals in the water, the harder the water is. Over time, the minerals in the water can build up and create a solid residue known as scale. This grit scale can build up on appliances, taps, pipes, and hot water systems. Water filtration systems such as Aquarene's reverse osmosis filters can vastly reduce this issue by removing many of these compounds.
Common Signs Of Hard Water throughout the Home
The best indicator that you have hard water in your home is to look out for visible signs of it around the house. Some of the most common pockets of hard water you will find at home include white, flaky residue on taps, shower screens, kettles, and basins. This residue is called limescale, and is evidence of the excess minerals in the water that have seeped out of the water as it evaporates.
You may also notice that soaps do not lather. In fact, the grit in hard water takes away the effect of soaps and detergents, especially in the presence of hot water. This soap scum can then be left on skin and hair, and can cause unnecessary damage to clothes and other surfaces in the house. Many people complain that after washing hair in hard water, the hair feels dry and lifeless, and the skin feels tight and uncomfortable. Clothes that have been washed in hard water tend to lose colour quickly, and in the kitchen and living room, you may notice glasses with white spots and dishes and cutlery with a white fog on them that seem like they aren’t cleaned at all.
Clothes washed in hard water may feel hard, colours may be removed faster, and the clothes may not be cleaned properly. In the kitchen and bathroom, there are often white or cloudy spots and streaks on the glassware and dishes after cleaning.
However, what homeowners see is not the whole story. There are a number of problems beyond dishes and itchy skin. Tough water can cause a hidden plumbing problem as well. Hard minerals often cause scale buildup in your pipes, water heater, and household appliances. Roses scale makes your systems less efficient and shortens their useful life, and can result in reduced water flow. Hot water will require more power to heat up, and you are more likely to have an appliance fail before you get the use you expect.
Why Hard Water is a Bigger Deal Than You Suspect
What hard water does is sneak up on you slowly but surely. At first, it might be an annoyance. Unsightly marks on tapware, gunky soap residue in the shower, and having to deal with those ugly, hard-to-clean water marks on glass, but over time, those natural mineral ions will get in the way of how well your appliances work.
Water heaters are particularly impacted as the heating process speeds up scale buildup. Inside appliances like kettles, coffee makers, dishwashers, and washing machines will also be affected. If your appliances have to work harder, that means they’ll use more energy to run and break down, or need to be replaced sooner.
Most homeowners will find that the cost of hard water over time will be due to increased wear and tear rather than an impact on the water quality. Therefore, they may want to consider treating the problem before serious impacts arise.
What to Do If You Suspect Hard Water in Your Home?
There are a few different methods for determining whether or not you have hard water in your home. While identifying the issue is relatively simple, test results can vary based on the method you choose.
The easiest method is to simply check for warning signs, although the results of this method are often not very precise. A better method involves testing your water directly instead.
A number of at-home water hardness kits are available and often relatively inexpensive. Test strips are dipped into a water sample and usually change color based on the amount of hardness discovered. Consumers can then refer to a color chart for results.
We also publish regular posts detailing water quality in various cities in Australia. Currently we have an article related to Perth's water quality, and will be posting more in due course. You can also check the Australian water hardness guidelines for further information.
Call in the Professionals
Experts do not always recommend treating hard water immediately, although ignoring indications that it’s present is always a bad idea. Analyse the problem further if you notice signs of buildup, appliance issues, or whether or not the soap in your own home suds up like you think it should. However, for expert consultation, always lean on those with the right qualifications, even from your city’s water provider or local authorities. In relatively uncommon cases, it’s sometimes better to unravel the concern entirely with professional water testing before seeking treatment.
Once you know where your water rating is, you can make a better educated decision on how to deal with your current problem. Regardless of your severity, you can make a more habitable and efficient home and save yourself some time and money on later repairs. Feel free to contact us for further information on choosing the right filter if you suspect you have hard water issues.
