Hard Water

Hard water is a very common problem, affecting water in more than 85% of the country. It is a
result of the dissolved minerals calcium, magnesium and manganese. With an increase in these
minerals, the following are seen (1):

 Soap scum in sinks and bathtubs

 Bathtub rings
 Spots on dishes or shower doors
 Reduced foaming and cleaning abilities of soaps and detergents
 Dingy and yellowed clothes with soapy residues that require extra rinsing to remove
 Clogged pipes from buildup of minerals
 Increased water heating costs from buildup of minerals, reducing efficiency of water
heaters
 Possible skin infections from bacteria trapped in pores underneath soap scum

While these are all unpleasant effects, hard water is not a hazard to human health and can be
treated.

If you suspect that you have hard water, it can be tested. If you are connected to a public supply,
call your water superintendent or city hall and ask if the water is hard. If you are on a private
supply, collect a sample in an approved container and take it to a testing lab or send to your city
or state health department for testing.

Water is considered hard when it exceeds 3 grains per gallon (GPG). A GPG is equvalent to 17.1
PPM, so if your water is 171 PPM, then your hardness is 10 GPG (2).

When results are returned to you and your water is found to be hard, there are a few options
available to you. The most common way to soften water is through an ion exchange water
softener. This system works by exchanging positively charged hardness minerals (calcium and
magnesium) with positively charged softness minerals (sodium or potassium) on a resin surface
that is regenerated. This exchange of minerals softens the water and can extend the life of
plumbing systems since there is reduced clogging in the pipes. Residues, including soap scum
and spotty dishes, should also diminish.

There are currently three basic types of ion transfer softeners. The first is an automatic softener.
This type of softener is connected to a clock timer which at certain time intervals begins the
regeneration process by flushing out the hard ions stuck to the resin and replacing them with the
soft ions. This then allows for a continuous exchange of hard and soft ions throughout the day.
The second type of softener is the demand initiated regeneration (DIR). With this system,
regeneration occurs only when soft water has run out. Since this system adjusts to the amount of
water used as opposed to the automatic type, it uses less salt and water and is more efficient. The
final softener is a portable exchange. Here a tank is rented to the homeowner and has a
regenerated resin. When the resin can no longer exchange ions, the tank is returned to the
company and regenerated there (1,2).

To choose a system that will fit your needs, it is best to have representatives from different
companies inspect your plumbing and give you an estimate. Next, ask your neighbors which
companies they use and if they have any problems with their service. Contact the Better Business
Bureau to see if the company you are choosing has had any customer service problems

Explanation of Water Hardness

Many industrial and domestic water users are concerned about the hardness of their water.
Hard water requires more soap and synthetic detergents for home laundry and washing, and
contributes to scaling in boilers and industrial equipment. Hardness is caused by compounds of
calcium and magnesium, and by a variety of other metals. Water is an excellent solvent and
readily dissolves minerals it comes in contact with. As water moves through soil and rock, it
dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them in solution. Calcium and magnesium
dissolved in water are the two most common minerals that make water "hard."

The hardness of water is referred to by three types of measurements: grains per gallon,
milligrams per liter (mg/L), or parts per million (ppm). Typically, the water produced by Fairfax
Water is considered "moderately hard" to "hard." The table below is provided as a reference.

Water Hardness Scale

Milligrams Per Liter
Grains Per Gallon (mg/L)or Parts Per Classification
Million (ppm)
less than 1.0 less than 17.1 Soft
1.0 - 3.5 17.1 - 60 Slightly Hard
3.5 - 7.0 60 - 120 Moderately Hard
7.0 - 10.5 120 - 180 Hard
over 10.5 over 180 Very Hard

Often, when you purchase a new dishwasher or washing machine, the manufacturer has
recommended settings that depend on the hardness of the water. The table below provides the
historical range of "hardness" of water in the Fairfax Water system.

Fairfax Water Hardness Scale

Milligrams Per Liter
Grains Per Gallon (mg/L) or Parts Per Classification
Million (ppm)
Slightly Hard to
2.3 - 10.1 40 -172*
Hard
 *This range of data is taken from 5 years (2006 – 2010) of Finished Water Total Hardness results.
Individual results can be found at http://www.fairfaxwater.org/water/imar.htm.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes standards for drinking water which fall
into two categories — Primary Standards and Secondary Standards. Primary Standards are
based on health considerations and Secondary Standards are based on aesthetics such as
taste, odor, color, or corrosivity. There is no Primary or Secondary standard for water hardness.
In fact, the National Research Council (National Academy of Sciences) states that hard drinking
water generally contributes a small amount toward total calcium and magnesium human dietary
needs (National Research Council, Drinking Water and Health, Volume 3, National Academy
Press, Washington, D.C., 1980) On average, the calcium levels found in the water delivered by
Fairfax Water could contribute 5 to 10 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance of calcium
for an adult.

(view also as PDF)

William A. Wurts, Ph.D.

Senior State Specialist for Aquaculture
Kentucky State University CEP at UK Research and Education Center
P.O. Box 469, Princeton, KY 42445
www.ca.uky.edu/wkrec/Wurtspage.htm

Water hardness is important to fish culture and is a commonly reported aspect of water quality.
It is a measure of the quantity of divalent ions (for this discussion, salts with two positive
charges) such as calcium, magnesium and/or iron in water. There are many different divalent
salts; however, calcium and magnesium are the most common sources of water hardness.

Hardness is traditionally measured by chemical titration. The hardness of a water sample is

reported in milligrams per liter (same as parts per million, ppm) as calcium carbonate (mg/l
CaCO3). Calcium carbonate hardness is a general term that indicates the total quantity of
divalent salts present and does not specifically identify whether calcium, magnesium and/or
some other divalent salt is causing water hardness. Hardness can be a mixture of divalent salts.
In theory, it is possible to have water with high hardness that contains no calcium. Calcium is
the most important divalent salt in fish culture water.

Calcium has an important role in the biological processes of fish. It is necessary for bone
formation, blood clotting and other metabolic reactions. Fish can absorb calcium for these needs
directly from the water or food. The presence of free (ionic) calcium at relatively high
concentrations in culture water helps reduce the loss of other salts (e.g. sodium and potassium)
from fish body fluids (i.e. blood). Sodium and potassium are the most important salts in fish
blood and are critical for normal heart, nerve and muscle function. In low calcium water, fish
can lose (leak) substantial quantities of these salts into the water. Fish must then use energy
supplied by their feed to re-absorb lost salts. That can reduce the energy available for growth
and may extend the time necessary to grow fish to market size. For some species (e.g. red drum
and striped bass), environmental calcium is required for good survival.
It is easy to see that the presence of calcium in water for fish culture is important. A low CaCO3
hardness value is a reliable indication that the calcium concentration is low. However, high
hardness does not necessarily reflect a high calcium concentration. A high hardness reading
could result from high magnesium concentrations with little or no calcium present. Since
limestone commonly occurs in the soil and bedrock of Kentucky, it would be reasonably safe to
assume that high hardness readings reflect high calcium levels.

A CaCO3 value of 100 mg/l would represent a free calcium concentration of 40 mg/l (divide
CaCO3 value by 2.5) if hardness is caused by the presence of calcium only. Similarly, a CaCO3
value of 100 mg/l would represent a free magnesium value of 24 mg/l (divide CaCO3 value by
4.12) if hardness is caused by magnesium only. Where hardness is caused by limestone, the
CaCO3 value usually reflects a mixture of free calcium and magnesium with calcium being the
predominant divalent salt.

Hardness is commonly confused with alkalinity. Alkalinity is a measure of the amount of acid
(hydrogen ion) water can absorb (buffer) before achieving a designated pH. The problem relates
to the term used to report both measures, CaCO3 in mg/l. Just as with hardness, mg/l CaCO3
alkalinity is a general term used to express the total quantity of base (hydrogen ion acceptors)
present. If limestone is responsible for both hardness and alkalinity, these values will be similar
if not identical. However, where sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is responsible for high
alkalinity it is possible to have low hardness and low calcium. Acid ground or well water has
little or no alkalinity and can have low or high hardness.

An acceptable range for free calcium in culture waters is 25-100 mg/l (63-250 mg/l CaCO3
hardness). Channel catfish can tolerate low calcium concentrations as long as their feed contains
a minimum level of mineral calcium. However, they may grow more slowly under these
conditions. If striped bass, trout, salmon or red drum culture is being considered, free calcium
concentrations in the 40-100 mg/l range (100-250 mg/l as CaCO3 hardness) are more
desirable. Tests specific for calcium should be performed on samples of the water source being
considered for these fishes.

Agricultural limestone can be used to increase calcium concentrations in areas with acid waters
or soils. Agricultural gypsum or food grade calcium chloride could be used to raise calcium
levels in soft, alkaline waters. Expense may be prohibitive when large volumes of water need
treatment. At a pH of 8.3 or greater, calcium will come out of solution as an insoluble carbonate
(limestone). Likewise, agricultural lime will be insoluble in waters with that pH range.
Identifying a suitable water source may be more practical