Canterbury Water: Rates, Supply Info & Hardness

If you just moved and have some Canterbury water questions, you will be able to find who handles Canterbury's water supply as well as wastewater services in the information below. Additionally, we have tips on how to deal with Canterbury's water hardness so that you can enjoy quality tap water in your home.

Canterbury Water Supplier

Canterbury Water is supplied by one water company, South East Water. Here are the contact details for your Canterbury water supplier:

Canterbury sewerage and wastewater is handled by a seperate company, Southern Water. Here are Canterbury's sewerage and wastewater contact details:

Be aware that calls to numbers starting with 03 may be charged at local rates by your phone company.

Water Rates Canterbury

Water rates in Canterbury vary depending on whether your home has a water meter or not. You can easily find out whether your Canterbury water rates are metered by looking at your water bill. Homes that have metered Canterbury water rates will have a meter number listed on their water bills.

Homes that are not metered won't, but they will have the rateable value of the home instead. The rateable value part of your Canterbury water rates will have been determined by the local council in the 90s and will probably not have changed much since then.

If you've just moved in or you don't have a bill available, you can check around the outside of your house for a meter. Sometimes the meter may also be located inside your house near the stop tap.

If you want to read more about water meters check out Selectra's essential guide to water meters.

The average water rates Canterbury residents are being charged result in an average water bill of around £418 a year. This amount combines both water supply and sewerage costs.

If you want to save money on your water bill then our handy guide to water rates in the UK will give you some great tips & tricks that could help you to lower your water bill.

Canterbury Water Hardness

The water in Canterbury is rated as hard. While rainwater itself is relatively soft, water hardness can change through the water cycle. Due to the way water filters through rocks in South Eastern Water's supply area, Canterbury water picks up minerals, such as magnesium or calcium, on the way to your tap.

Canterbury water's hard rating means that the hard water in your home will lead to scaling in kettles, sinks, dishwashers and loos. There are ways to mitigate hard water furring or scaling in Canterbury.

1. Baths, sinks and toilets - Use an acidic sanitiser regularly (available in local shops) to clean susceptible surfaces in order to clear limescale deposits.
2. Kettles - Do not overfill your kettle with water, filling it only with the amount of water that you need at that moment. Make sure that you also clean your kettle by half-filling and adding two tablespoons of white vinegar, leaving it for four hours to loosen scale build-up. Rinse and repeat to remove scale.
3. Dishwashers - Take advantage of the built-in water softener. Make sure you regularly top off it off with dishwasher salt in the appropriate compartment.

Can you drink the water in Canterbury?

Yes! You can drink the water in Canterbury. The UK Drinking Water Inspectorate has given Canterbury's water quality a 99.96% in overall mean zonal compliance, meaning that your water is completely safe to drink. You can rest assured that Canterbury's water meets high standards making it safe to drink. It is not necessary to further boil or filter Canterbury's water to make it potable.

If you notice a change in taste or smell of Canterbury's water this may be due to one of the following reasons:

1. Chlorination is a safe way to ensure hygiene throughout the pipe network.
2. Seasonal changes in water characteristics can infuse Canterbury's water with an earthy smell or taste.
3. Plumbing can contribute to the taste of your household water, adding metallic, salty or rubbery hints.

If you have questions about your water's taste, smell or appearance, you should not hesitate to contact South East Water.

Canterbury Water Problems

Canterbury water problems can include anything from burst water mains or flooding to having no water in your home. This is why it is important that in the case of emergencies, you know what to do, and who to contact.

If you notice a water leak or flooding outside your Canterbury property, you need to do one of the following:

1. If you are out and about, call or tweet South East Water to inform them of the location and any concerns
2. If you are near a computer, go to the "report a leak" section of the South East Water website and fill out the online form.

Canterbury No Water

If you have no water in your home, you need to find out if the issue is to do with your home plumbing or if a South East Water outage is impacting Canterbury.

1. Ask your neighbours whether they have the same issue as you.
2. Check that your stop tap is open
3. Check the "In Your Area" sections of the South East Water website for any information explaining why you have no water.

If you have no water, is it only no cold water or no hot water? If you have cold water but no hot water, the issue will be with your home plumbing and not the water company seeing as there is still a water supply to your property.

If there is no cold water, not even a trickle, contact South East Water for assistance, as this indicates an issue with supply.

Canterbury Water Discolouration

If the water in your home is discoloured, the might be a South East Water issue impacting Canterbury.

1. Changes to the colour of the water in Canterbury may happen after a burst pipe has been repaired
2. Or South East Water could have been carrying out upgrade work on the pipes in Canterbury
3. Water Discolouration is not harmful and can often be cleared by running the cold water tap until it becomes clear

If there is no improvement after trying this and discolouration persists, you can contact South East Water for assistance.