Hard Water in the Salinas Valley
Short answer: much of the area's water comes from wells, and groundwater here tends to be hard. Scale builds up on fixtures and inside water heaters. Regular cleaning, flushing and, for many homes, a softener help.
Request a plumberWhat hardness is
Dissolved calcium and magnesium that come out of the water as scale when it's heated or dries.
Signs
White crust on faucets, spotty glasses and showerheads that spray sideways.
Water heaters
Scale settles in the tank, making it noisy and less efficient.
Faucet cartridges
Scale wears seals and makes handles stiff.
Cleaning
Vinegar soaks loosen scale on showerheads and aerators.
Flushing
Flush the water heater yearly.
Softeners
Whole-house softeners remove the minerals.
Filters
Filters improve taste but don't remove hardness.
Testing
Your water provider's report lists hardness, or a test kit can check it.
Tankless units
Tankless heaters need descaling in hard water.
Why the valley is different
Coastal cities that buy surface water often have softer water than inland towns that rely on wells. Around Salinas, the aquifer under the valley supplies homes and farms alike, and the minerals it picks up end up in your plumbing.
How fast scale builds
In very hard water, a showerhead can clog within months and a tank heater can lose noticeable capacity within a few years if it's never flushed.
Next
See water softeners and filters.
More plumbing guides
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