Plumbing guide ยท Lake Elsinore, CA
Hard Water Problems in California Homes
Hard water problems in California are common, and most of the water supplied in Lake Elsinore is hard. Here is what the local numbers say, what scale does to your plumbing, and what to do about it.
Emergency? Call now, 24/7(951) 451-5200- Know the numberAsk EVMWD for the current report.
- Spot the signsCrust, spots, weak showerheads.
- Treat the causeClean scale, then soften.
Hard water problems in California: the short version
- Most of the supply here is hardIn EVMWD’s 2018 report, hardness ranged from about 92 ppm to about 250 ppm. Most sources sit in the hard or very hard bands.
- Convert with 17.1Divide ppm by 17.1 to get grains per gallon. Most local sources land around 12 to 15 grains, and the softest around 5.
- It is a nuisance, not a health problemHard water is dissolved calcium and magnesium. It leaves scale and spots rather than making the water unsafe to drink.
- Scale hits appliances and pipes firstWater heaters, faucet aerators, showerheads, dishwashers and kettles show it earliest.
- Soften at the sourceA water softener treats all the water entering the house. Cleaning products only treat the symptoms.
What hard water is and how it is measured
Hardness is a count of dissolved minerals, mostly calcium and magnesium.
Hardness in ppm and grains
Water picks up minerals as it moves through rock and soil. Utilities report the total as milligrams per liter, equal to parts per million (ppm), expressed as calcium carbonate. Water softener sellers use grains per gallon instead. The conversion is 17.1 ppm to one grain per gallon.
The USGS scale calls water soft up to 60 ppm, moderately hard to 120, hard to 180, and very hard beyond that. It is a convenience scale, not a safety scale. Hard water is not a drinking water hazard, but it is hard on equipment.
| Hardness band (USGS) | ppm as calcium carbonate | Grains per gallon | What you notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft | 0 to 60 | Up to about 3.5 | Little or no scale |
| Moderately hard | 61 to 120 | About 3.5 to 7 | Some spotting on glass |
| Hard | 121 to 180 | About 7 to 10.5 | Visible scale on fixtures, soap that does not lather well |
| Very hard | Over 180 | Over about 10.5 | Heavy scale, shorter appliance life, dry skin after showers |
What EVMWD’s own numbers say
The local water district publishes a water quality report each year.
Imported water, groundwater and Canyon Lake
EVMWD serves more than 159,000 people with three treatment plants and 13 active wells. In fiscal year 2022, about 65% of its supply was imported, 25% was groundwater and 10% was Canyon Lake surface water. Each source has a different hardness, as the chart shows.
Only one of the five sources in the 2018 report, State Project water, fell below the very hard band, at 92 ppm. That means most of the supply is hard water, but the mix reaching a given house depends on its street and the time of year. Ask EVMWD for the latest report for your address before you size any equipment, because the figures here are from 2018.
The numbers in a table
The table gives the same data in grains per gallon, which is the unit a softener is sized in. Elsinore groundwater averaged 212 ppm, but individual wells ranged from 9 to 620, so a single home can see a big difference depending on which wells feed its area.
| EVMWD source | Hardness (ppm) | About, in grains per gallon | Band |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Project water (imported) | 92 | 5.4 | Moderately hard |
| Elsinore groundwater (average) | 212 | 12.4 | Very hard |
| Colorado River water (imported) | 228 | 13.3 | Very hard |
| Temescal groundwater | 240 | 14.0 | Very hard |
| Canyon Lake surface water | 250 | 14.6 | Very hard |
Signs of hard water in your house
Hard water problems in California homes show up first where water is heated or left to evaporate.
What to look for
Hot water shows scale before cold, because heat drives the minerals out of solution. Dry, hot weather also dries drops quickly, which leaves spots on cars, glass and patio doors. That is why water heaters, kettles and shower heads are the first casualties. Fixtures that sit in standing water, such as a faucet base or a shower door track, collect crust as drops dry.
You may also notice that soap does not lather as easily and leaves a film on skin and tile. These are symptoms rather than a lab test. If you want a number, a test strip or a lab sample, or the water district’s report, gives it.
- White crust on faucets and showerheadsScale from evaporated water. Vinegar softens it; it comes back.
- Spotted glasses and dishesMineral film after drying, even on a clean dishwasher cycle.
- Soap scum and a stiff feel after washingSoap reacts with calcium and magnesium.
- Weak flow from a showerheadScale narrowing the small holes.
- Noisy, short-lived water heaterScale on the tank bottom or on the elements.
- Stiff laundry, faded colorsMinerals stay in the fabric.
Hard water problems in California homes: what scale does to plumbing and appliances
The cost of hard water is mostly in equipment that wears out sooner.
Heaters, fixtures and fittings
The water heater takes the worst of it. Scale builds on the tank bottom, makes the heater run longer, and overheats the steel under it. On an electric heater, scale coats the elements. Our guide on how long water heaters last shows how that cuts into lifespan, and a tankless unit needs descaling because its passages are narrow. Compare types in tankless versus tank.
Scale also narrows aerators and showerheads, clogs dishwasher spray arms and sticks in valves and toilet fill assemblies. In pipes, scale can reduce the opening over time. If your flow has dropped everywhere, see why your water pressure is low. A plumber can tell scale from other restrictions, and a pipe repair or repiping job is sometimes the answer when the cause is old pipe, not minerals.
- Water heaterShorter life, slower recovery, rumbling
- Showerheads and aeratorsClogged holes, uneven spray
- Dishwasher and washerFilm, spots, scale on heating parts
- Toilet fill valvesMineral buildup keeps them from sealing
- Pipe interiorsGradual narrowing in some cases
Cleaning scale, and why it comes back
Cleaning is worth doing for hard water problems in California kitchens and baths, but it does not change the water.
Vinegar and a brush will clear scale from most household fixtures. The scale returns as long as hard water keeps flowing, so cleaning is a repeat job. Treat it as maintenance, not a cure, and keep the treatment gentle on finishes. Never mix vinegar with bleach or other cleaners. If you have a tankless heater, ask the maker before pouring any acid through it.
Showerhead
Soak it in a bag of white vinegar for an hour or two, brush the holes, rinse. Skip vinegar on brass or natural stone fixtures.
Faucet aerators
Unscrew, rinse out grit, soak, scrub and refit. A clogged aerator often explains weak flow at a single tap.
Kettle and coffee maker
Run a vinegar and water cycle, then plain water twice.
Glass and tile
Wipe with a squeegee after showers. Standing drops dry into scale.
Water heater
Flush the tank on the maker’s schedule. See why heaters make noise.
How to find out how hard your water actually is
A figure for your house beats a figure for the city.
Three ways to get a number
The first is the water district. EVMWD publishes an annual water quality report, and its hardness table lists each source. The second is a hardness test strip from a hardware store, which gives a rough reading in minutes. The third is a lab test, which is more precise and is useful before sizing a softener.
Test cold water from a tap that is not downstream of an existing softener or filter, and run the tap for a minute first. Write the result in grains per gallon, since that is the unit equipment is sized in. Remember that the supply mix changes, so one reading is a snapshot rather than a permanent fact.
Read the district report
Find the hardness line for each source.
Use a test strip
Quick, rough and easy to repeat.
Send a sample to a lab
Best for sizing equipment.
Convert to grains
Divide ppm by 17.1.
What to expect from a water softener
A softener changes how the water behaves and adds a small maintenance routine.
Sizing, salt and the drain
A softener holds resin beads that trap calcium and magnesium. When the beads fill, the unit regenerates by flushing them with salt brine and sending the used brine to a drain. Size depends on hardness and how much water the household uses, which is why a plumber asks about both. A unit that is too small regenerates constantly, and one that is too large wastes salt.
Softened water feels slick, lathers easily and leaves far less film on glass and tile. It is typically plumbed to the main line, ahead of the water heater, so the heater is protected too. Some households keep one outdoor tap or a drinking water line on hard water. Ask about these details when you call, and read the water softener installation page for the job outline.
- Where it goesOn the main line, before the heater
- What it needsPower, a drain and salt
- MaintenanceRefill salt, check the brine tank
- What you may noticeLess scale, less soap, slicker water feel
- What it will not doRemove chlorine or contaminants
Water treatment options compared
A softener is the usual answer in a hard-water home, but it is not the only one.
Softener, conditioner or filter
A salt-based water softener removes the calcium and magnesium itself. A plumber sizes it by your household’s water use and the hardness, connects it to the main water line, and provides a drain for the regeneration cycle. A water filtration system answers a different question: taste, chlorine or specific contaminants. Many homes use both.
Ask EVMWD for the current report, then ask a plumber to match equipment to the number. Our guide on how to choose a plumber explains what to ask.
| Option | What it does | What it does not do |
|---|---|---|
| Salt-based water softener | Swaps calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium on a resin bed, treating all the water in the house | Does not filter chemicals or taste; needs salt and an occasional drain connection |
| Salt-free scale conditioner | Changes how minerals behave so they cling less | Does not remove the minerals; results vary |
| Point-of-use filter | Improves drinking water at one tap | Does not stop scale in pipes or the heater |
| Descaling and cleaning | Removes existing buildup | Does not stop it from returning |
| Lower heater setting | Slows scale formation in the tank | Does not remove hardness |
Signs it is time to call a plumber
Cleaning handles surface scale. These problems need a plumber.
Hot water that runs short or rumbles
Scale may be burying the bottom of the tank or the elements.
Weak flow in the whole house
Not just one fixture. A plumber can find the restriction.
You want a softener sized
The right size depends on hardness and household use.
Scale on fixtures keeps returning
That is the signal to treat the water rather than the symptoms.
Related services
Hard water touches several parts of the plumbing.
Water softener installation
Treats hard water for the whole house.
Water softener installation details →Water filtration
Taste, chlorine and contaminants at the tap.
Water filtration details →Water heater repair
Scale damage on tanks and elements.
Water heater repair details →Tankless water heater
On-demand heat that needs descaling in hard water.
Tankless water heater details →Hard water questions
Is Lake Elsinore water hard?
How many grains per gallon is Lake Elsinore water?
Is hard water safe to drink?
What does hard water do to a water heater?
Does a water softener fix hard water?
How much does a water softener cost?
Can hard water problems in California clog pipes and fixtures?
How do I remove hard water stains?
Do I need a softener and a filter?
Is the hardness the same across Lake Elsinore?
More guides
Fighting scale at home?
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