Hard water is very common in CT and having a professional water test can help you determine the exact hardness you are dealing with so you can effectively treat it to suit your needs. The term “water hardness” originally referred to the ability of water to precipitate soap and form soap scum. Soap is precipitated (or brought to the “surface”) by water containing high levels of calcium and magnesium. The “harder” the water the less soap will lather or dissolve. The total hardness is defined as the sum of the concentration of the calcium and magnesium ions, expressed as calcium carbonate. Hardness can be expressed as calcium carbonate in either parts per million (the same as milligrams per liter) or grains per gallon. Since most water softeners are rated in grains of hardness removal, this is the more common measurement used by U.S. consumers. One grain of hardness equals approximately 17.1 ppm of calcium carbonate hardness. Water hardness minerals are commonly treated with a water softener, which uses an ion-exchange resin and regenerates with salt. For residential and commercial applications these are the most effective as they remove the hardness minerals from your Connecticut drinking water. Hard water creates scale build-up in pipes, fixtures, and appliances which is why a water softener is often needed if your drinking water is significantly high. Natural waters may range from close to zero hardness to many hundreds of parts per million. In our experience, in CT, water over 100 or 150 ppm (approximately 8 – 10 grains/gallon) is hard enough to warrant water softening. When your water hardness exceeds 250 – 300...
