San Diego is famous for it’s sunny weather, gorgeous beaches, and it’s outdoor activities, but how does San Diego’s water quality stack up against other areas in the country? We’re here to give you the good, the bad, and the ugly in regards to San Diego water quality.
Hard Water San Diego
If you live in San Diego you may have noticed that the water coming from your tap feels very hard. That is because San Diego has come of the hardest water in the country. Typically water in San Diego has a water hardness of 270-280 ppm (parts per million). What exactly is water hardness? When people refer to hard water they are referring to the amount of minerals, typically calcium and magnesium that is dissolved in your water. If water has more than 180 ppm it is considered hard. Therefore San Diego water quality is definitely considered hard.
How to treat hard water in San Diego?
In order to remove hardness from your water supply you need to remove, exchange, or neutralize the dissolved minerals in your water. This can be achieved by installing and ion exchange system, a NAC (Nucleation Assisted Crystallization) system, or reverse osmosis system in your home.
Ion Exchange Water Softening System
An ion exchange system, also known as a salt-based water softener is one way to remove hardness from your water. This is achieved by exchanging calcium and magnesium for sodium. Although these are a great way to soften your water, there are many downsides to salt-based systems. For one thing, salt systems require adding salt to the water on a regular basis. This requires a lot of maintenance and the waste water is full of sodium which can be harmful to the environment. Also these types of systems can waste up to 15,000 gallons of water each year.
NAC (Nucleation Assisted Crystallization) Whole House System
A NAC Water Conditioning system is a salt-free water softener that uses nano-technology to neutralize the calcium and magnesium ions rather than removing them from the water. With this system the minerals are transformed from a positive ion to a negative ion which allows the minerals to remain in the water without allowing the to stick to the surface of your pipes or fixtures. These systems are a great salt-free alternative for water softening and will remove and prevent scale buildup in your pipes, appliances, and faucets.
Reverse Osmosis System
Reverse osmosis is a process in which the water goes through several filters and membranes, removing all impurities from your water. Although this is a great way to be sure your water is free of impurities and contaminants, this process also removes all of the healthy minerals from your water. In order to add these minerals back into the water an alkaline system ypically has a final stage in the reverse osmosis process which will put these healthy minerals back into the water.
San Diego Water Quality – Is it safe to drink?
In general, San Diego’s water is within the EPA standards to be considered drinkable. Does that mean it’s safe to drink? Not necessarily. Just because San Diego’s water quality falls within the regulatory guidelines doesn’t mean that their are no risks in drinking it. There are many contaminants that are not regulated, that can cause adverse effects with long term exposure. Additionally, many of the water tests performed are performed at the treatment plant, not at the point of use. As the water travels through miles of old pipe, there are many contaminants that could be introduced into your water supply.
How To Improve San Diego Water Quality
If you live in San Diego, there are many ways to improve your water quality. The most effective way to make sure all impurities, chemicals, and contaminants are removed from your water is by installing a reverse osmosis system or a whole house water filtration system. Want to get a quote for a home water filtration system? Call us at 855-409-2837 to schedule a free in home consultation and free water testing.