Water Softener in Aurora, CO

Clues that hardness is the problem

• White crust building on faucet aerators and showerhead holes
• Dishes and glass shower doors that dry with a cloudy film
• A water heater that pops or rumbles as it heats
• Soap and shampoo that never seem to lather fully
• Laundry that comes out stiff or dull

Those are mineral symptoms. A faint pool smell is a different issue, tied to disinfection rather than hardness.

What Aurora Water puts in your pipes

Aurora draws on mountain snowmelt stored in a dozen reservoirs and lakes spread across the Arkansas, Colorado and South Platte basins. It also recaptures South Platte River water through the Prairie Waters System, which uses riverbank filtration, and pumps from wells near Cherry Creek. That water is treated at the Griswold, Wemlinger and Binney plants and disinfected with chloramines.

The city's latest water quality report puts average hardness at about 136 ppm, with readings from roughly 87 to 198 ppm. In grains per gallon, the unit most softener makers use, the average works out to about 8. Because the supply blends several sources, the number at your tap can drift, so a quick test at the kitchen sink beats guessing from the citywide average.

Softening swaps calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium. It does nothing for chloramine. If taste is the bigger complaint, a catalytic carbon filter is the tool for that, and some homes pair the two.

Price drivers

• Household size and measured hardness, which set the unit's capacity
• Where the main enters: garage, basement or a tight utility closet
• Distance to a drain and an outlet for the control valve
• Adding a carbon stage for chloramine
• Bypass plumbing so outdoor spigots stay on unsoftened water
• Salt or potassium over the years the unit runs

When you place the call

You are linked with an independent plumber who covers Aurora. Mention what you are seeing, the age of your water heater, and where the main shutoff sits. Aurora homeowners own the water line from the meter pit to the house, so the plumber works on your side of that point. Aurora's Public Works Building Division handles plumbing reviews and inspections, and the plumber can confirm with the permit counter whether your installation needs one.