Arcadia Water Quality Data
- Water Hardness: 12.0 GPG / 205.2 PPM
- Classification: Very Hard
- Primary Source: Municipal supply, combination of local groundwater and imported state/regional water.
Compared to the national average of roughly 5 GPG, Arcadia's water is more than twice as hard. A rating of 12.0 GPG means that for every gallon of water that passes through your pipes, an amount of dissolved rock equivalent to 12 aspirin-sized tablets of calcium carbonate is left behind.
The Financial Cost of Hard Water
The 12.0 GPG water in Arcadia deposits approximately 2.8 pounds of rock-hard calcium scale inside your plumbing and appliances each year. This scale acts as an insulator, particularly in your water heater.
- Water Heater Inefficiency: Scale forces your gas water heater to burn more fuel to heat the same amount of water, reducing efficiency by 15-25%. This translates to higher utility bills from Los Angeles Dept of Water & Power.
- Reduced Appliance Lifespan: A standard water heater should last 12-15 years. With Arcadia's water, its life expectancy is slashed to just 9.0 years. Similar damage occurs in dishwashers, washing machines, and coffee makers.
- Increased Household Costs: You'll use 30-50% more detergent, soap, and shampoo because hard water minerals prevent proper lathering.
How Hard Water Affects Your Family
While not a direct health hazard, the mineral content in Arcadia's water creates noticeable quality-of-life issues. The minerals react with soap to form a residue, preventing a clean rinse.
- Skin and Hair: This soap scum can leave skin feeling dry and itchy, and hair brittle or dull. It can aggravate conditions like eczema.
- Bathing: It becomes difficult to achieve a full lather with soaps and shampoos, leading to increased product usage.
- Infant Care: Parents should be aware when preparing baby formula, as the high mineral content can contribute to an infant's overall mineral intake.
Filtration Systems for Arcadia's Water
With a hardness level of 12.0 GPG, taking action is highly recommended to protect your home. You have two primary whole-house options:
- Salt-Free Water Conditioner: This is an effective, low-maintenance option for water this hard. It doesn't remove the minerals but crystallizes them, preventing them from forming scale inside pipes and on heating elements. This is often sufficient for many households.
- Whole-House Water Softener: For the complete removal of hardness minerals, a traditional salt-based softener is the most powerful solution. It eliminates scale, improves soap efficiency, and leaves skin feeling noticeably smoother.
A typical whole-house softener (around $1,500 installed) can pay for itself in approximately 11.9 years through annual savings of $126 on energy, detergents, and delayed appliance replacement costs.