Hard
Water Problems in the United States
What IS Hard Water?
Water in the home may be "hard"
or "soft," depending on its mineral content. Water
that contains more than one grain of calcium and magnesium
per gallon is said to be 'hard."
A grain is defined as a unit
of weight equal to 1/7000th of a pound. Another way to think
of it is that a common aspirin tablet is approximately 5 grains.
A household with a water hardness of 10 grains per gallon
would have the equivalent of the weight of 2 aspirin tablets
dissolved per gallon of water.
1 Grain = 1/7000 of 1
lb.
An average household of 4, with water hardness of 7 grains
per gallon, would have the equivalent of 146 lbs. of rock
in their water supply in a given year.
Water is soft when it falls
from the sky as rain. As it travels through rock and soil,
it picks up particles of calcium, magnesium, iron, lead and
other minerals. Untess you have a private well, your tap water
is processed by a municipal water treatment plant to remove
some of its mineral content and other impurities. Depending
on the type and amount of processing, water softness will
vary from place to place. Still, in most of the United States,
water is relatively hard when it leaves the treatment plant.
Hard Water Problems
Ground water can pick up many
elements. The amount of calcium or magnesium determines the
hardness of the water supply. Because of them, water becomes
hard, reducing the ability of soaps to suds and clean, leaving
a dingy gray residue on clothes, and spots on dishes. While
not considered a health hazard, Calcium and magnesium in the
water supply can contribute to several problems in the home.
These problems will vary according to the amount of calcium
and magnesium in the water supply as well as the amount of
water being used in the household.
What Hard Water Figures Mean To
Consumers
|
0 to 2 Grains Hardness |
No softening agents needed. Pure soap effective
in cleaning up. |
|
2 and 5 Grains Hardness |
Detergents with softening agents not completely
effective in cleaning |
|
5 to 9 Grains Hardness |
Detergent with softening agents not completely effective.
Some scaling will occur in pipes and appliances. |
|
9 Grains + Hardness |
Detergents with softening agents not effective.
Dishwasher impossible to use without producing film
on dishes. Scaling in pipes and appliances. |
|
