N Norfolk is the same as were you are - very hard. And I think the soft water from Llyn Dulyn (supplied the Llandudno, N Wales area) was much nicer.

My mother has never liked its taste. We used to use a Brita jug filter but I fitted an under the sink filter about 2 years ago. I think at £15 for replacement carbon filter that lasts 6 months, it works out a bit cheaper than what she was doing with the jug filters and having the filtered water on its own tap is more convenient. Neither of these solutions address the hardness of the water but they do get rid of the (to mum) foul taste).

The last time we used bottled water followed a burst main last year. A neighbour went shopping and kindly gave us 2 x 5L bottles. While I guess one could maintain ones own supply of back up tap water, I'm glad the supermarkets stock it for this type of short term "emergency" but I don't think we have any other use for it.