What Should Your Water Softener Be Set To in St. George?

Why St. George water is so hard

The city explains that most water sources in Southern Utah carry high amounts of calcium and magnesium, which makes the water hard and makes soap hard to lather (City of St. George, 2024 Drinking Water Quality Report). Most customers get a blend of city wells and springs and Virgin River water treated at the Washington County Water Conservancy District's Quail Creek plant (City of St. George Water Services, Collection and Distribution (FAQ); Washington County Water Conservancy District, Water Quality), so the exact hardness varies with the source mix and the season.

The city's recommendation

From the city water department's FAQ: generally, set softeners at 18 grains and adjust higher if needed, with 22 as the highest setting (City of St. George Water Services, Collection and Distribution (FAQ)). The annual report says settings between 13 and 24 grains per gallon provide the most effective treatment for most customers (City of St. George, 2024 Drinking Water Quality Report).

Why not just crank it up?

It is tempting to set a softener as high as it goes. The city asks you not to, for a reason that is easy to miss: the salt or potassium your softener uses goes down the drain during regeneration. It becomes part of the sewage at the treatment plant, treatment cannot remove those dissolved solids, and some treated water is reused for irrigation, where the extra salt harms plants (City of St. George Water Services, Collection and Distribution (FAQ)). A higher setting also uses more salt and more water. Set it as low as works for your house.

How to find the right number for your home

1. Start at 18. Enter it as the hardness setting on the control head. On most units this is in the setup or "hardness" menu.
2. Live with it for a couple of weeks. Watch shower glass, faucets and dishes.
3. Test if you want certainty. Hardness test strips from a hardware store show whether the softened water at a faucet is near zero.
4. Adjust in small steps. If spots come back, raise it a grain or two, staying at or under 22.
5. Set the clock. After a power outage, many timer-based units lose their time and regenerate at odd hours.

Signs the softener is not working

• Salt level does not drop over a few weeks (check for a crusty salt bridge).
• Spots and crust return quickly.
• The brine tank is full of water.
• The bypass valve was left in bypass after other plumbing work.

If those checks do not fix it, the resin, control valve or injector may need service. See water softeners.

A few related tips

• Use clean, high-purity softener salt to reduce mushing and bridging in the brine tank.
• Many homes leave outdoor hose bibs on hard water, which is fine for irrigation.
• A reverse osmosis filter at the kitchen sink is a common add-on for drinking water.

Related services

• Water Softeners & Hard Water: Softener installation, repair and settings for very hard Southern Utah water, plus drinking-water filters.
• Water Heater Repair & Replacement: Repair or replacement for tank and tankless water heaters, gas or electric, including scale-damaged units in hot garages.
• Toilet & Faucet Repair: Running and leaking toilets, dripping faucets, scale-clogged aerators and cartridges, and fixture replacement.

Sources: City of St. George Water Services, Collection and Distribution (FAQ); City of St. George, 2024 Drinking Water Quality Report; Washington County Water Conservancy District, Water Quality.