South London covers a huge range of homes, from the tight Victorian streets between Clapham and Wandsworth commons to the leafy semis of Sutton and Bromley and the towers going up along the river at Nine Elms. We cross the river most days to fit and service softeners down here, and the conversation usually starts with the same two questions: who supplies my water, and where on earth would a softener go?
Water suppliers south of the river
Thames Water supplies most of South London. The big exception is around Sutton, where SES Water is the supplier, along with some neighbouring parts of south London and much of east Surrey. If you're near a borough boundary, don't guess: check your bill.
Both companies' water is hard. SES draws much of its supply from boreholes in the chalk of the North Downs, and Thames Water's comes largely from the Thames and its own chalk-fed sources. You can look up the official hardness for your street with Thames Water's postcode tool or SES Water's hardness report. For a bit more on why London water is like this, see our guide to hard water in London.
The homes we see, and what they need
Inner south: terraces and conversions
Brixton, Clapham, Balham, Tooting, Peckham, East Dulwich and Herne Hill are mostly Victorian and Edwardian terraces, many now split into flats. The usual hurdle is space. Under-sink cupboards are shallow, and there's often a combi boiler, a washing machine and the stopcock all fighting for the same corner. We'll often suggest a compact block-salt unit that slots into a standard base unit and doesn't need a plug socket, which helps when there isn't a spare one.
Outer south: semis and detached houses
Further out in Croydon, Sutton, Cheam, Kingston, Bromley and Orpington there's a lot of 1930s housing, often extended at the back or into the loft. More bathrooms means more hot water being drawn at once, so we size the softener to match. A garage or utility room gives us more options, but if the softener goes in a detached or uninsulated garage we'll talk about keeping it frost-free, as frozen pipes stop a softener in its tracks.
New-build flats by the river
Battersea, Nine Elms, Vauxhall and Greenwich Peninsula have thousands of newer flats. They tend to have a compact utility cupboard with the hot water unit or heat interface unit in it, and that's sometimes the best place for a softener. Many of these buildings have their own rules about plumbing work, so check with the building manager before booking.
What hard water does in a South London home
If you've got a combi, the first warning sign is usually a lukewarm shower when someone runs the kitchen tap, or a boiler that sounds like a kettle on the boil. That's often scale on the heat exchanger. With an older system and a hot water cylinder, it's slower heating and immersion elements that give up early. Electric showers, kettles, coffee machines and dishwashers all scale too. A softener takes the hardness out before it reaches any of them.
Families with a new baby on the way often ask us about bath time and formula. We've written a straightforward guide to hard water and a new baby, and it's worth a read before you decide anything.
Drinking water
We fit an unsoftened drinking tap at your kitchen sink with every softener, fed straight off the mains before the softener. That's the tap to use for drinking, cooking and making up formula. If you don't fancy a second tap on the worktop, a three-way mixer handles hot, cold and drinking water from one spout.
Getting across the river
From Chiswick it's usually Chiswick Bridge, Putney Bridge or Wandsworth Bridge, then the South Circular. Most of inner south London is controlled parking, so if you can sort a visitor permit, that's a big help. Further out, a driveway or quiet side road normally does the job.
Where we work in South London
- Battersea, Nine Elms and Vauxhall
- Clapham, Stockwell and Brixton
- Wandsworth, Putney and Southfields
- Balham, Tooting and Streatham
- Wimbledon, Raynes Park and Mitcham
- Kingston, Surbiton and New Malden
- Camberwell, Peckham and East Dulwich
- Herne Hill, Dulwich and Norwood
- Lewisham, Catford and Blackheath
- Greenwich, Woolwich and Eltham
- Croydon, Purley and Coulsdon
- Sutton, Cheam and Carshalton
- Bromley, Beckenham and Orpington
- Bexleyheath and Sidcup
The rest of London and the Home Counties is on our areas page.
South London FAQs
Who supplies water in Sutton and Croydon?
SES Water supplies Sutton and some neighbouring parts of south London, while Thames Water supplies most of the rest of south London. Croydon sits close to the boundary, so it really is worth checking rather than assuming. The boundary doesn't always follow borough lines, so check your water bill, then look up your postcode on that supplier's website for the official hardness.
Can a water softener go in the garage?
Yes, as long as the mains supply can be routed there, there's a drain nearby, and the garage stays above freezing. Softeners and their pipework don't like frost. If the garage is cold, we'll talk about insulation or suggest a spot inside the house instead.
Can I fit a softener in a new-build flat in Battersea or Nine Elms?
Often, yes. The utility cupboard is usually the best spot, as it tends to have the incoming supply and a drain close together. Many developments have rules about alterations, so check with your building manager or freeholder first. We're happy to explain the work so you can ask for permission.
How much salt will a softener use in South London?
It depends on how hard your water is, how many people live with you and how much water you use. A metered softener only regenerates when it needs to, which keeps salt use down. Our guide to running costs explains how to work out your own figure.
Ready for a survey?
See how installation works from start to finish, or book a service or repair for a softener you already own. If you're still choosing salt for an existing unit, this guide to salt types will help. Otherwise, the form below gets you a free survey and water test.