In Britain the quality of tap water varies a lot from place to place. I live in Cambridge where the water comes from a chalk aquifer; it is very hard and has a

In Britain the quality of tap water varies a lot from place to place. I live in Cambridge where the water comes from a chalk aquifer; it is very hard and has a distinctly unpleasant flavour. We got a water softener installed, including a separate filter for drinking water, and that made it a lot more palatable. Last weekend we were visiting family in Sheffield, which is on the edge of the Peak District, and their water comes from hard sandstone hills, beautifully soft.