Chicago Water Hardness Scale

Modified from briggs j c and ficke j f 1977.

Chicago water hardness scale.

A water hardness test performed by the water treatment experts at rainsoft in chicago illinois can provide useful information about the quality of the water in your home as well as whether it can be improved and if so how. Grains per gallon is the business standard approach for talking about water hardness. This water hardness scale build up comes at a significant cost. This summary report covers the department of water management s sampling for endocrine disrupting chemicals pharmaceuticals and personal care products.

It is important to note that the u s. View a national map of hardness in surface water on the usgs water hardness website. Environmental protection agency epa has not set a legal limit or standard for hardness in water. Hardness data reflecting mostly calcium plus a little magnesium for individual drinking water suppliers is at the epa office of ground water and drinking water website.

Interestingly the levels drop dramatically in southern illinois where the calcium content is in the 0 60 per liter range. Map edited by usepa 2005. The groundwater in northern illinois and chicago contain especially high levels of calcium carbonate in the range of 181 to 250 milligrams per liter. Hardness prevents soap from lathering by causing the development of an insoluble curdy precipitate in the water.

City of chicago emerging contaminant study. Water hardness map of the united states water hardness table of classifications and links to more information about water softening and effects. The cost of hard water. Colors represent streamflow from the hydrologic unit area.

For example in water heating and cooling systems an eighth of an inch of scale buildup results in a 20 percent loss of efficiency. The term hardness was originally applied to waters that were hard to wash in referring to the soap wasting properties of hard water. The chicago department of water management monitors for chromium 6 and reports on it quarterly. This is the measure of the amount of calcium and magnesium dissolved in your water.

Hard water is perfectly safe for human consumption it simply contains high levels of mineral content. Water hardness scale chart. Contingent upon where a water test is performed this data will be accounted for in mg l milligrams per liter or gpg grains per gallon. Hard water causes scale to accumulate in pipe systems and equipment.

Hardness typically causes the buildup of hardness scale such as seen in cooking pans. For gas water heaters every 5 grains per gallon of hardness causes an 8 percent loss in efficiency and an 8 percent increase in cost when using 100 gallons of hot water per day.