Water Softeners & Hard Water in St. George, UT

How hard is St. George water?

Hard. The City of St. George's water quality report explains that most water sources in Southern Utah carry high amounts of calcium and magnesium and suggests softener settings between 13 and 24 grains per gallon (City of St. George, 2024 Drinking Water Quality Report). Most customers get a blend of city groundwater and Virgin River water from the Washington County Water Conservancy District's Quail Creek treatment plant, so the exact hardness at your tap shifts with the season and the mix (Washington County Water Conservancy District, Water Quality). Neighboring towns draw from many of the same sources.

What the city says about softener settings

This is a detail many homeowners never hear. The city's water department recommends setting a softener at about 18 grains and adjusting upward only if needed, to a maximum of 22. The reason: the salt or potassium a softener uses ends up in the wastewater. Treatment does not remove those dissolved solids, and because treated effluent is reused for irrigation, extra salt harms plants watered with reuse water (City of St. George Water Services, Collection and Distribution (FAQ)). A softener set higher than it needs to be wastes salt and water and adds to that load.

Signs your softener needs attention

• Salt level never drops: the softener is not regenerating, or a salt bridge (a hard crust) has formed in the brine tank.
• Hard-water spots are back: the resin may be worn out, the bypass valve may be open, or the settings may be off after a power outage.
• Brine tank full of water: a stuck float, a clogged injector or a drain line problem.
• Constant running or noise: a control valve or timer issue.
• Salty-tasting water: a regeneration or rinse problem.

Choosing a softener

• Size for your household. Capacity is measured in grains. The right size depends on hardness, the number of people and how much water you use, so a small household and a large vacation rental need very different units.
• Demand-initiated regeneration (metered) regenerates only when needed, which saves salt and water compared with a fixed timer.
• Where it goes. Most St. George homes have a softener loop in the garage near the water heater. Older homes may need one plumbed in. Outdoor hose bibs are often left on hard water, which is fine for irrigation.
• Drain and air gap. The discharge line needs an approved air gap to a drain.
• Salt-free conditioners are sold as an alternative. They do not remove hardness the way an ion-exchange softener does; ask what the product actually does and what testing supports it.

Drinking water and reverse osmosis

A softener swaps calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium. Many households add a reverse osmosis filter at the kitchen sink for drinking and cooking water. The city's report also notes that some individual sources contain arsenic, which the city treats or blends to keep delivered water under the federal limit (City of St. George, 2024 Drinking Water Quality Report). If you want to know more about your own tap, the report is the place to start, and a home water test can answer the rest.

What softening protects

Soft water does not just keep shower glass clean. It reduces scale in water heaters and tankless units, keeps faucet cartridges, toilet fill valves and dishwasher valves working longer, and helps pressure-reducing valves and recirculation pumps avoid sticking. In St. George, it is one of the most common plumbing upgrades for a reason.

Related guides

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

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