Englewood runs its own water utility, separate from Denver Water, drawing South Platte River water and treating it at the Allen plant, and its report does not state a hardness value. In a city where most homes were built before 1980, the plumbing itself often matters as much as the water. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Englewood.
Englewood's water and housing
Englewood Utilities takes South Platte River water through the City Ditch and the Union Avenue Pump Station, stores it in McLellan Reservoir, and treats it at the Allen Water Treatment Plant. Disinfection uses free chlorine, ultraviolet units and chloramines to hold a residual in the pipes. The latest report, covering 2024, lists no health-based violations and no hardness figure. The utility also serves some customers outside city limits.
The houses matter too. Englewood's median home was built in 1964, and about two-thirds date from before 1980. Older homes can have galvanized branch lines, worn valves and water heaters that have been collecting sediment for years. A softener does not reverse any of that. It is worth having the plumber look at the pipe where the unit would tie in, because cutting into tired galvanized steel often turns a simple install into a short repipe.
On the service line itself, Englewood's Lead Reduction Program replaces lead and older galvanized steel water service lines with copper. If yours is on the list, coordinating that work before adding treatment equipment saves redoing connections.
Choosing a direction
| Option | Helps with | Does not help with |
|---|---|---|
| Softener on the main | Scale on fixtures, heaters and glass | Chloramine taste, old pipe corrosion |
| Catalytic carbon filter | Disinfectant taste and odor | Hardness |
| Repiping old branch lines | Low flow, rusty water from aging pipe | Water chemistry |
| Kitchen-sink filter only | Drinking and cooking water | Rest of the house |
Signs it is time to act
- Visible crust on faucets within weeks of cleaning
- Rusty or tinted water from one fixture, which suggests old pipe rather than the supply
- A heater that rumbles or takes longer to recover
- Low pressure at several fixtures at once
Timing
Pair the job with a water heater replacement or a service line replacement if one is coming up, since both bring a plumber to the same spot. Englewood's Building Division lists water heater replacement and water line alterations as work needing a permit, and a softener tie-in may count as an alteration. Winter installs in unheated spaces need freeze protection for the valve and brine tank.
Water Softeners & Filtration questions in Englewood
Does my water provider publish a hardness number?
Will a softener get rid of chlorine or chloramine taste?
Does a softener help a water heater or tankless unit last?
Does installing a softener need a permit?
More plumbing services in Englewood
Water Softeners & Filtration nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
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