Frequently Asked Questions

The white film is the residue of hardness and other minerals in the water. When the water is heated or evaporates, the minerals leave a white coating on items such as showerheads, shower doors, glasses, coffee pots, etc.

Although harmless, most people don’t appreciate a white film on these household items. Many customers install a water softener unit. In terms of cleaning hard water spots, there are several cleaning products on the market made specifically for its removal. A "green" alternative is warm vinegar. Soaking in vinegar can help dissolve the spots. Make sure you rinse the items carefully after the vinegar "bath" before using them. This method is less practical for shower doors. In the case of shower doors, prevention is the best medicine. Wipe down the doors with a sponge or towel after every shower.

The District pumps groundwater from several different sources (wells) positioned throughout the District’s service area. Not all wells are actively pumping at the same time, and since each well has its own baseline hardness value, each service area has a range of hardness values, listed below (based on 2017 water hardness data).

• In the District’s western-most areas of Capitola/Soquel - from about 41st Avenue to Park Avenue - the range of water hardness is about 150 to 370 parts per million (ppm), or 9 to 22 grains per gallon (gpg).
• In the Soquel/Aptos areas of the District - from about Park Avenue to State Park Drive - the range of water hardness is about 140 to 300 ppm, or 8 to 17.5 gpg.
• In Aptos/Rio del March areas of the District - from about State Park Drive to March Monte Avenue - the range of water hardness is about 150 to 200 ppm, or 9 to 12 gpg.
• In the La Selva Beach area - from about March Monte Avenue to Sand Dollar Drive - the range of water hardness is about 100 to 200 ppm, or 6 to 12 gpg.

It is advisable to program the dishwasher beginning at the lower end of the designated range and then adjust upward as necessary.

Hard water is simply water that contains two harmless minerals — calcium and magnesium. Water is considered "hard" if it measures more than 120 parts per million or 7.0 grains per gallon.

Although hardness does not affect the safety of the water, some customers may find it to be inconvenient. The minerals may make the water hard to develop a sudsy lather. Hardness minerals may also contribute to scaling in teapots, spots on dishes and residues on plumbing fixtures and glass shower doors.

To find out the most recent hardness number, read the District’s annual consumer confidence/water quality report.