What’s In Your Water? Water Hardness in Tucson and Surrounding Areas

From the Tucson Water Pros team – servicing Tucson, Marana, Oro Valley, and more

The most common question we get asked, by far, is this: “What’s in my water?” It’s that, or some variation of it, but the principle is the same. People in and around Tucson are genuinely worried about what’s going on with their tap water, and they have every right to be. Tucson Water publishes an annual Water Quality Report, detailing their main system and all the monitored water quality results for that year. The report specifically looks at water hardness in terms of PPM (Parts Per Million) of Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3) in the water.

In 2024, the Annual Water Quality Report found that Tucson water is rated “hard to very hard”, at ~228 ppm, or roughly 13.3 grains per gallon. For added context, any result above 181 ppm is often classified as “very hard” water. If you’ve lived anywhere in Southern Arizona for a good length of time, you won’t need the study results to know how true it is anyway. We see it as it builds up on our faucets and shower heads, and we feel it on our skin after any shower, hot or cold. This is mostly a factor of the area in which we live; the desert climate of Tucson and the surrounding areas leads to naturally occurring calcium and magnesium dissolution into the deep ground aquifers from which we draw our water.

While Tucson still meets all federal and state drinking quality standards, it’s definitely noticeable in both taste and feel, and it’s something you don’t have to put up with. If you’ve noticed the telltale signs of white, chalky deposits building up on your faucets, drains, tile, shower glass, or shower head, you are experiencing the issue of hard water. Besides feeling it on your skin and tasting it in your mouth, though, it can actually harm the overall longevity of your house and appliances.

How Can Hard Water Cost Tucson Homeowners Money?

If you own a home, this part is for you. Hard water is annoying, but when you have actual money invested in a house and all the systems therein, you have real reason for concern. Over the course of years, hard water reduces plumbing efficiency and lifespan, and robs appliances of years they would have gone without needing replacing otherwise. Water heaters are the first and biggest victim here; calcium and magnesium precipitate out of the heated water and form scale on heating elements, burner plates, tank interiors, and heat exchangers. This reduces both the lifespan and the efficiency of the heater, due to sediment buildup at the bottom of the tank and scale on the inside acting as an insulator. Your heater has to run longer and work harder for the same result, and over time this kills it. Tankless systems don’t escape this either. Because of their narrow heat exchangers, the scale buildup reduces flow and reduces heat efficiency quickly and more noticeably. Manufacturers of both types of systems actually generally recommend annual treatments in these conditions.

Dishwashers and washing machines are also targets for hard water, as you might imagine. Ever seen cloudy glass come out of your dishwasher, even though you’ve cleaned it thoroughly and you’re using rinse aid, etc? This is caused by our lovely hard water here in Tucson and the areas surrounding. Ice makers, whether built into your refrigerator or countertop devices, suffer from these issues over time as well. It’s one of those insidious kinds of issues which you don’t realize creeps its way into nearly every system in your home, but just take a moment to think about how much we rely on our water here in the desert southwest.

What Can Be Done About Hard Water In Tucson, Arizona?

Luckily, there are easy solutions to these problems. Tucson Water Pros can test your water to figure out exactly what you’re dealing with, and then custom build a solution for you using the most robust and well tested equipment available to consumers. We’ll test your water hardness (ppm / grains per gallon) specifically, as well as your Total Dissolved Solids, Chlorine levels, and factor in your household water needs to design a system which covers everything. This is the most effective long-term solution; a properly sized filtration system paired with water softening will not only treat the water coming into your home, but even gradually reduce the buildup in your pipes as it exists currently. You’ll also notice marked performance differences in your appliances in areas like scum-free dishes and improved detergent performance.

Water Softener installation in Tucson is easy, and overall a no-brainer in terms of both cost savings and longevity of your appliances and plumbing. We also have many customers for hard water treatment in Marana, and we frequently install the same kind of water softening systems in Oro Valley. We’re intimately familiar with all of these areas and those in between, so we know you’ll appreciate the experience we bring to your situation.

Give us a call at 520-395-1358 to discuss your needs and get scheduled for a consultation. We’re excited to show you the difference, especially if you’ve been dealing with hard water for a very long time as most residents of Tucson, Marana and Oro Valley have.