Posted on April 16, 2021 What does it mean if you have hard water? Well, your water is naturally filled with minerals from the environment your water came from and all the environments and water systems your water flows through before it finally gets to your home. Since water has quite a long journey before it reaches your faucet, it’s guaranteed to be riddled with many things you wouldn’t want flowing through your home, let alone your body! This is why municipalities such as the city of Phoenix regulate and treat your water before it reaches your home. Phoenix’s Water Services Department processes your water through the city’s five water treatment plants across the state, treating your water of potentially hazardous pollutants based on established standards by the federal and state governments. Federally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates how much of particular contaminants are allowed to remain in publicly distributed water, while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does the same, but particularly for bottled water. Bear in mind, the major sources of your drinking water in the Phoenix area comes from rivers, lakes, streams, springs and wells, mainly the Salt, Verde, and Colorado rivers. So, your water needs plenty of cleaning. The typical contaminants found in water sources include: Microbial contaminants: virus and bacteria originating from wastewater treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, or wildlife. Inorganic contaminants: includes salts and metals resulting from urban storm runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming. Pesticides and herbicides: from agricultural or residential use, and urban storm runoff. Organic chemical contaminants: industrial byproducts such as synthetic and volatile organic chemicals from processes like petroleum production, gas stations, septic systems, and urban stormwater runoff. Radioactive contaminants: natural or industrial byproducts of oil and gas production and mining. Learn more about water treatment Does Phoenix water need to be treated? Although the city puts a lot of effort into purifying your water of any harmful pollutants and diseases, there really isn’t a set limit for water hardness. In fact, any sort of limits is considered “non-enforceable guidelines,” or recommendations. Minerals like calcium and magnesium are carried through the Phoenix water system even after the treatment process, and although they may generally be considered harmless to you, this is certainly not the case for your home, causing undue damage to your plumbing system by scaling within your pipes, appliances, and fixtures. Other side-effects of hard water in your home include, scum build-up in your shower, residue on your drinking glasses, and rusting appliances or silverware. It can also cause itchy or dry skin when you have hard water in your shower or splash it from the sink all over your face. In 2019, the City of Phoenix reported samples of total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging much higher – up to 816 parts per million (ppm) – than the recommended max amount of 500 ppm. Samples taken to measure total hardness of Phoenix water ranged from 170-284 ppm, with no recommended max whatsoever. There is also the presence of metals such as lead and copper, mainly as a byproduct of corroding household plumbing, pipes, and fixtures which contain such metals. Ingesting elevated levels of lead, for instance, can cause serious health problems, particularly for pregnant women and children. The city of Phoenix Water Quality Report (2019) states that there were 3 parts-per-billion (ppb) for every 2 out of 54 taps sampled. This is why homeowners call upon their local plumbing professionals to install water softeners to pick up where the city left off. Benefits to having a water softener in Phoenix There are plenty of benefits installing a water softening system in your home. You’ll save money by having longer-lasting pipes, appliances, and fixtures if you get rid of minerals working to corrode, clog, and rust everything throughout your home plumbing system. Your clothing won’t fade as easily, which will also save you some money (and the irritation of having to find a new perfect pair of black pants) in the long-run. Your shower products will work the way they ought to, and your water will be kinder to your body without the contaminants in your water clashing with your soaps and shampoos. You’ll have much cleaner appliances, fixtures, glasses, and silverware eliminating all the scum build-up and staining resulting from your hard water (which means less time cleaning up dishes after they’ve been in the dishwasher). And you’ll simply have better tasting and smelling water without a mineral cocktail every time you use your faucets. Water Softener Installation in Phoenix Don’t wait to give yourself the high-quality water that a water softener in Phoenix can provide you with. There are plenty of options for water softening systems to match your particular needs, and we at Deer Valley Plumbing are here to help you find it! Some of these options include: Salt-Based Ion-Exchange Softeners – normally a two-tank system utilizing resin beads to remove the likes of calcium and magnesium in your water. Salt-Free Water Softeners – neutralizes any bonding of unwanted mineral build-up within your water, as opposed to removing the minerals altogether. Reverse Osmosis Water Softeners – removes minerals altogether from your water. Magnetic Water Softeners – like the salt-free systems, instead of removing minerals, they neutralize the bond of unwanted mineral build-up by using a magnetic field. Our professional plumbers are ready to meet your home plumbing needs. Contact us today and let’s get started!
