What Is Hardness in Water?

Hard water is one of the most common water quality concerns reported by consumers in the United States. The hardness of water is determined by the calcium and, to a lesser extent, magnesium carbonates naturally dissolved in it. As the concentration of the dissolved minerals increase, the water becomes harder.

Across the U.S., there are waters that are very soft (low in carbonates) and waters that are very hard (high in carbonates). If your water contains substantial amounts of these minerals, water is said to be hard because making lather or suds is hard to do. Soft water creates the opposite result, making lather or suds easy to do.

Problems Created by Hard Water

Hard water can be a nuisance in many ways. Most directly, you notice it on your skin and hair since your bathe in water frequently. Very hard water also leaves calcium scale or mineral deposits behind when it is heated up. Beyond that, you may notice an accumulation of white/chalky deposits on items such as plumbing, tubs, sinks, pots and pans. Other things you may notice include:

• increased difficulty in cleaning and laundering tasks
• decreased efficiency of water heaters
• white spots on glassware
• white spots on your car after washing
• soap scum on bathtubs, shower tiles, and basins
• it is more difficult to remove soap when washing or bathing
• accumulation of hard, cream colored deposits around fixtures, dishwashers, clothes washers and inside pipes