xande

Hi everyone,

We're hoping to move to Spain and my wife has some skin problems that are made worse by hard water.
So we're wondering if anyone knows of any ideally sunny and quiet coastal areas that have soft water or where the water company softens it.

From our research so far we've found the following, but they are mainly inland and in the North:

Very soft water - Ávila, Mardrid, Toledo, Segovia
Soft water - Burgos, La Coruña, León, Lugo, Orense, Palencia, Salamanca, San Sebastián, Santander, Zambora
From what we've read Blanes has naturally hard water but the water company softens it.

Ultimately if we buy a place we could install a water softener, but we'd like to rent first which makes that more difficult, so starting in an area with soft water would make life easier. We've searched all the short and long-term property rental sites we can think of for 'descalcificador' in the areas we'd like to start-out in (which are all hard water), but haven't had much luck.

Please also let us know if the water is softened in your area, even if it's not coastal.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

DLC

There's a water hardness map on this page, pale yellow is softest, red is hardest.

Aigües de Barcelona barely manage in making the water drinkable so I doubt they're going to soften it, just in case it's useful they have a water quality checker here. You have to enter an address (plaza mayor or something if you're not sure).

missile

I belief water from desalination is soft(?) You might like to visit the water company for the areas you are interested in. Here is link to Aquagest Levante where you can send them an e mail or download a detailed analysis for each of the areas they supply > Water quality control - Hidraqua

Barriej

Most apartment buildings in our area (inland of Albir, Alicante) have water softeners in the basement.
We have one here, but our neighbours have installed an extra one with one of these heater/cooler things for drinking water.

If you are renting ask the agent, they should be able to find out for you.

xande

Thanks for the link and info. Unfortunately the map doesn't seem accurate. Having just checked several of the places in the 'Blanda' section on the east cost. They were all very hard in degrees French.
Vinaroz es de: 30,4 ºH F
Chilches es de: 49,5 ºH F
Tortosa, Santa Clara (Tít. Hidrot.) 37
Peñíscola: 39.2 ºH F

Agree about Barcelona, the water is not nice and ranges from hard to super hard.

xande

Thanks!

xande

Thanks! We have been trying asking the agents, but so far they haven't been helpful! Good to know about building wide basement softeners.

Moses2013

I don't know but wife complained about water hardness at our home in Ireland and since we installed water softener no issues. In Spain we have a holiday home near Lloret/Blanes and no need for one there.

xande

Thanks Moses, That's really good to know.