Los Angeles is one of the most well-known metropolitan cities in the world. The city of Los Angeles is famous for many things, from the Hollywood sign to the Santa Monica Pier. Despite its glitz and glamour, Los Angeles has a dirty little secret named hard water. Hard water can cause dry skin, brittle nails, and stains on dishes.
Hard water is a naturally occurring thing nationwide, especially in Southern California, that causes unwanted effects like dry skin and scale buildup. At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we've been helping homeowners for over 15 years combat hard water with different water treatment systems, such as water softeners.
Some people may not be familiar with water softeners and might be even less aware that Los Angeles has regulations for them. In Los Angeles County, the cities that prohibit water softener installations are located within the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation Water District.
Find out why these bans exist in the first place and what alternative methods are available to fight hard water. While Santa Clarita doesn’t allow water softeners, the majority of the cities that make up Los Angeles County are water softener friendly.
Why Are Water Softeners Banned in the First Place?
Water shortages and extended drought seasons regularly impact California's water supply. In response to these issues, the state put initiatives in place to recycle wastewater for irrigation, natural habitats, and city public water sources.
Desalination installations for water plants can cost hundreds of millions of dollars, proving too costly. Saltwater discharged in municipal sewer lines caused by high salinity concentrations harmed groundwater supplies.
Water softeners heavily rely on salt to cancel out calcium and magnesium in hard water and periodically need salt refills to continue working. Salinity-filled wastewater is discharged from water softeners when they’re regenerating.
In 2009, water experts suggested that removing residential water softeners could reduce salinity levels by 20%. State officials introduced Assembly Bill 1366, which was approved by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and signed into law in 2009. The bill introduced some of the following points of legislation:
- Local agencies must consider community input and regional economic issues before implementing regulations on residential water softeners.
- Local agencies also gain additional authority to regulate residential water softeners.
- Conduct a public hearing on how cutting back on water softeners can help achieve water quality goals.
- If a local agency decides to authorize the removal of water softeners, it must offer affected homeowners compensation for the reasonable value of the water softener.
This bill allowed water districts within Los Angeles to handle their respective water softener installation regulations. Some cities, like Long Beach, decided not to ban water softeners.
The only area in Los Angeles that prohibits residential water softener installations is within the Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation Water District, which includes the following cities:
- Santa Clarita
- Valencia
- Saugus
- Castaic
- Newhall
- Canyon Country Forrest Park
- Mint Canyon
- Fair Oaks Ranch
- Stevenson Ranch
- Bouquet Canyon
So, now you know why water softeners are banned in some Los Angeles cities, but then where does that leave water quality? While not everyone has a water softener, everyone starts with the same level of water quality. Let's explore what Los Angeles' water quality is like and how a water softener can make a difference.
What Is the Water Quality in Los Angeles?
The water in Los Angeles is tested for impurities and meets standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is responsible for conducting hundreds of thousands of tests on drinking water quality using EPA-approved methods.
The agency publishes an annual report with its testing methods, contaminants removed and trace amounts leftover, and the disinfectants they use to treat the water. The drinking water in Los Angeles is sourced from the Colorado River and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Naturally sourced water may contain any of the following contaminants:
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Microbes: Bacteria picked up from wastewater or wildlife.
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Inorganic minerals: Common inorganic contaminants include salt, calcium, and magnesium.
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Herbicides and Pesticides: These chemicals can come from agricultural farms or stormwater runoff.
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Chemicals: Both synthetic and organic chemicals can be found in water due to industrial waste and septic systems.
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Radioactive contaminants: Gas and oil production and mining may release these contaminants into water supply sources.
Major water districts rely on multiple-stage treatment and filtration systems to ensure drinking water is safe to consume. Water treatment plants add chlorine and ammonia as a residual disinfectant and fluoride to provide dental benefits.
Although water is fine to drink, it is still hard, so homeowners are finding ways to improve the water quality in their homes further.
What Are the Alternatives to Water Softeners?
Several options are available to deal with hard water in Los Angeles, even if water softeners are allowed in your area. Here are some water filtration options that are ideal for any home:
- Flow-Tech: Flow-Tech uses low-level frequencies that make the calcium and magnesium in hard water stick to each other instead of surfaces. This alternative is an excellent anti-scale system with a whole-house filtration system for cleaner water.
- Water Conditioners: Flow-Tech is a type of water conditioner, but other types are available too. A standard water conditioner is a single tank system that uses unique resin beads that crystalize the magnesium and calcium, so they don't cause scale buildup.
- Whole-House Carbon Filters: This type of filtration system uses a single tank with special beads that filter out any impurities in water. It doesn't make water soft like water softeners but effectively provides cleaner water for an entire home.
- Reverse Osmosis Systems: This system is much smaller than the other water treatment systems. It is a single fixture system, meaning it can only be installed in the kitchen sink, for example, instead of in an entire home. RO systems provide more crisp drinking water.
Is a Water Softener Ideal for My Home in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles is seen as the world's entertainment capital, and it is hard to disagree. There's something here for everyone to enjoy. There are many things to do and enjoy in L.A., but dealing with hard water, which can make clothing feel rigid, is not one of them.
The effects of hard water can affect homes across Los Angeles County, and many homeowners are installing water softeners to remove hard water. At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating & Air, we do not only install water softening systems, but we also stay informed about any regulations regarding them.
The last thing any homeowner wants is to receive a citation for an installation on their home, like a water softener. The majority of Los Angeles County allows water softener installations, so you can take advantage of its benefits without getting a fine sent to your mailbox. If you still have questions regarding water softeners, contact us using our simple water filtration scheduler or click one of the buttons below. If you need more clarification about the advantages of a water softener, take a look at the benefits associated with soft water.
