How hard is the water in Sun Lakes, AZ?

Tap water hardness
103mg/L
6.0gpg
Moderately hard

Reported by Pima Utilities · December 2024

AZ typical
180 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
2
Softener for 3 people
24k grain
Data
Utility report

The water in Sun Lakes carries roughly 103 mg/L of dissolved calcium and magnesium, or 6.0 grains per gallon. That is moderately hard water. The number comes from Pima Utilities, dated December 2024.

Sun Lakes on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+AZ typical 180Avondale: 105 mg/LAvondale 105San Tan Valley: 109 mg/LSan Tan Valley 109Chandler: 139 mg/LChandler 139Gilbert: 168 mg/LGilbert 168Paradise Valley: 171 mg/LParadise Valley 171Guadalupe: 172 mg/LGuadalupe 172Queen Creek: 178 mg/LQueen Creek 178Tempe: 180 mg/LTempe 180Maricopa: 220 mg/LMaricopa 220Casa Grande: 220 mg/LCasa Grande 220Sun Lakes 103mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+AZ 180Chandler: 139 mg/LChandler 139Gilbert: 168 mg/LGilbert 168Guadalupe: 172 mg/LGuadalupe 172Queen Creek: 178 mg/LQueen Creek 178Tempe: 180 mg/LTempe 180Maricopa: 220 mg/LMaricopa 220103 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

Sun Lakes sits 77 mg/L below the typical Arizona figure of 180. None of the 10 nearest cities we track has softer water. The range nearby runs from 105 mg/L in Avondale to 220 in Maricopa.

What 103 mg/L means at home

You may see faint white spots on glasses and shower doors after the water dries.

Scale builds up slowly. A kettle or coffee maker needs descaling now and then, maybe every few months.

Hardness is not a health problem, and EPA sets no limit for it. It is a matter of scale and soap.

What to do about it

Optional. Plenty of households at this level live with it and descale the kettle now and then.

Water softener

Worth a look if spots on glass bother you, or if your tankless water heater manual asks for softer water.

Carbon filter

Improves taste and removes chlorine. It leaves calcium and magnesium in place.

Softener size for Sun Lakes

3 people × 75 gallons a day × 6.0 gpg = 1,354 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 17 days.

Size it for your household

EPA record for Sun Lakes's water system

Pima Utilities · PWSID AZ0407120

2 health-based violations since 2016

Serves about 20,000 people from groundwater.

Health-based
2
Monitoring or reporting
19
Open now
3

TapWaterData ties Sun Lakes to this system. EPA's service-area records do not name Sun Lakes, so check the utility printed on your water bill.

20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026Total Coliform Rule'16'18'20'22'24'26Total Coliform Rule
Each dot is one health-based violation, placed at the start of its compliance period.
Contaminant or ruleViolationsPeriodStatus
Total Coliform Rulebacteria22024Resolved

Health-based means a contaminant above its legal limit or a missed treatment step. Monitoring and reporting violations are late or missing tests and notices. Source: EPA ECHO, 2026Q3 export, violations with periods starting 2016 or later. Full EPA record.

Questions

Is Sun Lakes water hard?

Somewhat. It measures about 103 mg/L (6.0 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as moderately hard.

What is the water hardness in Sun Lakes in grains per gallon?

About 6.0 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 103 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 6.0.

What size water softener do I need in Sun Lakes?

For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 6.0 gpg works out to about 1,354 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 17 days.

Has the Sun Lakes water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show 2 health-based violations for Pima Utilities since 2016, involving Total Coliform Rule. There were also 19 monitoring or reporting violations, which are about late or missing tests and notices.

Nearby cities

All 42 cities in Arizona

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, December 2, 2024), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.