Three Points Water Quality Data
Understanding the numbers behind your water quality is the first step to addressing its effects.
- Water Hardness: 14.7 GPG / 251.4 PPM
- Classification: Very Hard
- Water Source: County Average (Pima County WQP)
To put 14.7 GPG in perspective, it is nearly three times harder than the level where most homeowners begin to see significant scale-related problems (around 5-7 GPG). Water at this level will leave chalky deposits on any surface it dries on.
How Hard Water Erodes Your Household Budget
The unseen damage from hard water is costly. Each year, your home's plumbing accumulates about 3.5 lbs of calcium scale, effectively hardening in your pipes and water-using appliances. This directly impacts your monthly bills and long-term expenses.
- Gas & Electric Bills: Scale buildup on the heat exchanger of a gas water heater forces it to burn more fuel to heat your water, increasing inefficiency by 20% or more. Your bill from Tucson Electric Power also increases as appliances like dishwashers run longer, less effective cycles.
- Appliance Lifespan: A standard water heater should last 12-15 years. With Three Points' water, you can expect its lifespan to be slashed to just 7.7 years.
- Daily Costs: You'll spend more on detergents for laundry and dishes, as well as on harsh chemical cleaners to remove the stubborn soap scum and mineral stains from your kitchen and bathrooms.
The Impact of 14.7 GPG Water on Skin and Hair
While the minerals in Three Points' water pose no direct health risk, they do degrade your daily washing and bathing experience. Hardness minerals interfere with the cleaning properties of soap, creating a residue instead of a clean lather.
- Skin Irritation: This residue can clog pores and strip natural oils from your skin, leaving it feeling dry, tight, and itchy.
- Dull, Brittle Hair: The same mineral film coats hair shafts, making hair feel limp, frizzy, and difficult to style.
- Shaving Discomfort: Razors don't glide smoothly over skin coated with soap scum, which can lead to increased irritation and nicks.
Choosing the Right Water Treatment for Three Points
Given the 'very hard' classification of 14.7 GPG, a whole-house treatment system is necessary to truly solve the problem.
- Primary Recommendation: A salt-based water softener physically removes the calcium and magnesium, providing soft water to every faucet in your home. This is the most effective way to protect your plumbing and appliances.
- Salt-Free Alternative: For those concerned about salt discharge or maintenance, a salt-free water conditioner is a viable choice. It neutralizes the minerals' ability to form scale but does not produce truly soft water, so you won't get the same soapy lather.
Investing in a solution makes financial sense. Based on the $158 in potential annual savings on energy and maintenance, a typical water softener installation pays for itself in approximately 9.5 years, all while preventing thousands in future appliance replacement costs.