Do I Need a Water Softener in Salt Lake City, Utah?
Millions of people visit Utah every year — excited to see the world-renowned National Parks, ski in one of the world's top destinations for snow sports, and take in the natural beauty lurking around every corner.
It isn’t just the tourists flocking to Utah; many people from out of state are making the move to Utah for a better life. Salt Lake City is usually the top choice for relocation in Utah due to the ample job opportunities, endless activities, clean cities, beautiful scenery, and a better chance at finding a dream home for a reasonable price.
Utah seemingly has it all, but if you’re considering moving to Salt Lake Valley, don’t let one of your scenic drives up Big Cottonwood Canyon mislead you. The state may not be in a drought like many other western states (thanks to the mountains and endless feet of snow every winter). Lack of water certainly isn’t the issue, but hard water is something most Salt Lake residents need to address in their homes.
What Exactly is Hard Water?
You might associate the words “hard water” with a negative meaning, but what exactly is hard water? You should first understand the difference between hard and soft water; soft water is essentially rainwater, meaning that it is free from dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. Water becomes hard as it falls, makes its way through rocks, rivers, and streams, and picks up minerals along the way to your water source at home.
Now that you understand what makes hard water, it isn’t hard (pun intended) to imagine that hard water is a problem in Utah if you’ve ever visited the area. While hard water isn’t a health risk, the higher mineral content causes buildup on plumbing fixtures, wear and tear on appliances, and dries out hair and skin.
The Salt Lake City Public Utilities website says, “Your tap water is safe to drink. Salt Lake City drinking water complies with or exceeds all EPA requirements. More than 60 percent of our water starts in mountain streams from our nearby Wasatch canyons. In the summer months, we supplement water flow with deep wells from throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Well water meets all drinking water standards, though it is ‘harder,’ with more minerals than source water.”
This leaves the question — what does Salt Lake City Public Utilities mean when they disclosed that Salt Lake City’s water is “harder”?
How Hard Is Salt Lake City’s Water?
Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon of water (known as gpg). Here’s a water hardness scale to get a clearer picture of Salt Lake City’s water hardness levels:
- Anything less than 1 grain per gallon is considered soft
- Slightly hard: 1 - 3.5 grains per gallon
- Moderately hard: 3.5 - 7 grains per gallon
- Hard: 7 - 10 grains per gallon
- Very hard: anything over 10 grains per gallon
Salt Lake City’s water hardness levels? According to Beehive Plumbing, a popular plumbing company that services all of Salt Lake Valley, Salt Lake City’s water hardness is around 13 grains per gallon. This number indicates that Salt Lake Valley’s water is considered really hard.
A study from the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project also found that the water in the Salt Lake Valley is considered really hard.
What Should Salt Lake Residents Do to Reduce Hard Water?
If you’re a homeowner in the Salt Lake City area, hard water could potentially cost you a lot of money in repairs. One of the best solutions to reduce a high mineral count in your home’s water is to get a water softener that services your whole home.
You might look at the price tag of a water softener and think twice about purchasing it.
Here’s the thing: $1800 is a small price to pay to have softer water in your home for life.
Getting a water softener for your home will save you time and money in the long run.
Think about it: spending less time scrubbing dishes, spending less time searching for a heavy-duty lotion that will restore the moisture that the hard water stripped from your skin, and spending less time purchasing expensive bottled water.
You can enjoy drinking water from your home that doesn’t taste like minerals, not worry about potential plumbing issues that could result from hard water use, and have the peace of mind that hard water won’t cause mineral buildup and damage your appliances. In fact, water softeners extend the life of appliances!
At Filter Smart, we have a lifetime warranty on our reusable tanks and valves. Our water softeners don’t use electricity — meaning you won’t be paying additional fees after purchasing the system.
Our water softeners are eco-friendly, salt-free, easy to install, and maintenance-free. Once you have installed a FilerSmart water softener in your Salt Lake City home, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it years ago!
