Cities with the Hardest Water in Utah

Hard water can be a major problem for appliances, drinking, and cleaning. With hard water, soaps can’t create suds properly, which means fewer bubbles. There’s also a higher chance for calcium and magnesium buildup in pipes.

Cities in Utah are known for having hard water, sometimes to the point that it can cause damage to your home, hair, and skin. Across the country, Utah has some of the hardest water, along with parts of the Western United States and much of the Midwest.

The Hard Water Facts

How is the hardness of water classified? The amount of calcium carbonate per gallon, measured in grains per gallon (gpg) or parts per million (ppm) can determine just how hard the water is. Here’s a chart that classifies water hardness, and it’s important to note that water is considered “hard” at just 7 gpg or 120 ppm.

Hardness as Parts Per Million	Hardness in Grains Per Gallon	Classification of Water
1-17	< 1.0	Soft
17-60	1.0-3.5	Slightly Hard
60-120	3.5-7.0	Moderately Hard
120-180	7.0-10.5	Hard
180+	10.5+	Very Hard

How Hard Is Utah’s Water?

Utah’s water is mostly hard. Each city is different, depending on where your city gets its water and how the water is treated. For example, Salt Lake City has an average water hardness of 223 ppm, which falls on the highest end of the scale. Other cities in Utah may have water that is softer or harder than Salt Lake’s. Some parts of Bountiful have a water hardness up to 30 gpg while cities like Magna only have a water hardness of 9 gpg.

If you want to get an idea of how hard the water is in your city, check out our free tool! All you have to do is enter your ZIP code.

See How Hard Your Water Is

Making the Change

If you live in one of the cities in Utah with some of the hardest water in the country, it may be time to make the switch to soft water. Getting a water softener is a good investment, as using soft water can actually save you money in the long run. Soft water can:

• Save you money on laundry detergent, soaps, and shampoo. The lather that can be made with soft water is significantly more than that with hard water, leaving cleaner dishes, laundry, hair, and skin while using less soap.
• Leave less residue and hard water spots on dishes.
• Keep your water heater cleaner, as minerals are less likely to build up in the hot water tank. While water heaters should be cleaned every once in a while, there is less of a risk of hard mineral buildup with soft water.
• Help your hair and skin feel smooth and soft.
• Taste better than hard water, which can also lead to tastier tea, coffee, juice, and hot chocolate.

Want these benefits but don’t know how hard your water is? Superior Water and Air can help! If you have any questions about how hard your water is, don’t hesitate to give us a call! We also provide a free home water evaluation so you can know exactly what’s in your water!