The City of Tolleson has reported total hardness of 92 to 200 ppm, roughly 5.4 to 11.7 grains per gallon, which is moderate for the Valley. A softener helps with spotting and heater scale in many homes, though some owners decide a smaller unit is enough. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Tolleson.
Tolleson supplies its own water and sewer, and its water comes from two places: city wells, treated with electrodialysis reversal, and finished water purchased from the City of Phoenix through two connections. Electrodialysis reversal pulls dissolved minerals out of well water, which helps explain why Tolleson's hardness figures run lower than many neighbors'. The city's water quality report has listed 92 to 200 ppm of total hardness. Because the mix of well water and Phoenix water can shift, the hardness at your tap may move within that range.
What to do now
- Test at the kitchen faucet. Divide a ppm result by 17.1 to get grains.
- If you're near the low end, consider whether scale is really a problem before buying equipment.
- If you already own a softener, check its setting against your test; many are set far too high.
- Look at the water heater: popping sounds or reduced hot water suggest built-up scale that a flush can address.
- Think about taste separately, since a softener won't change it.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Light film on glasses | Moderate hardness; may not need a full softener |
| Heavy crust on fixtures | Hardness at the upper end of the range |
| Softener using a lot of salt | Valve set above your tested hardness |
| Salty taste at the tap | Rinse cycle not completing |
| Unit runs but water still hard | Bypass valve left partly open |
Cost factors
At Tolleson's moderate hardness, a compact softener often handles a typical household, which keeps equipment and salt costs down. Labor depends on whether there's an existing loop near the water heater, how far the brine line has to run to a drain, and whether outdoor spigots need to be separated. Repairs and reprogramming cost less than a new unit and are worth checking first. A carbon filter or reverse osmosis faucet adds to the job.
Permits for plumbing changes go through Tolleson Development Services, with online permits through Civic Access. The city also keeps a service line materials inventory, viewable through ADEQ, which is useful if you own an older home and want to know what your supply line is made of before replumbing around a softener.
Water Softeners & Filtration questions in Tolleson
How do I turn ppm or mg/L into grains per gallon?
Is an old softener worth repairing?
Are salt-free conditioners a real alternative?
Does a softener do anything about chlorine taste?
More plumbing services in Tolleson
Water Softeners & Filtration nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: