What is Water Hardness?
Plain-English explanation from a licensed Utah HVAC, plumbing, and electrical contractor.
Water hardness is the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in your water, measured in grains per gallon (gpg), most Utah cities deliver 12-28 gpg, well into the 'very hard' range.
Full Definition
Water hardness measures the concentration of multivalent cations, primarily calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺), dissolved in water. The U.S. unit is grains per gallon (gpg); 1 gpg = 17.1 mg/L. The U.S. Geological Survey classifies water as: soft (0-3.5 gpg), moderately hard (3.5-7), hard (7-10.5), very hard (10.5+). Most of the Wasatch Front sits at 12-18 gpg, while Tooele and parts of Davis County run 22-28 gpg.
Very hard water leaves scale on faucets, water-heater elements, dishwashers, and shower glass. It can reduce water-heater lifespan by 30-40% and increase soap consumption. A whole-home softener is one of the highest-ROI plumbing investments in the Wasatch Front.
Common Questions
What is my city's water hardness?
Provo, Orem, and Lehi: 13-18 gpg. Sandy and South Jordan: 14-17 gpg. American Fork: 14-16 gpg. Tooele: 22-28 gpg. Utility water-quality reports list this each year.
Does a water softener waste water?
Modern demand-initiated regeneration softeners use 35-80 gallons per regen cycle, typically once or twice a week, far less than older time-clock units. Total annual usage is usually under 5,000 gallons (less than 2% of household total).
Related Terms
Water Softener
A water softener is a tank-based ion-exchange system that swaps calcium and magnesium in hard water for sodium, eliminating scale buildup throughout the plumbing.
Tankless Water Heater
A tankless water heater heats water on demand as you turn on a hot-water tap, instead of constantly keeping 40-80 gallons hot in a storage tank.
Recent PLUMBING work in Utah
A few installs and service calls from the AYSP crew.
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