Heber, CA water hardness

Tap water hardness
53mg/L
3.1gpg
Soft

Reported by Heber Public Utility District · March 2023

CA typical
121 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
7
Data
Utility report

Heber water measures 53 mg/L (3.1 gpg) of hardness, soft by USGS standards. The number comes from Heber Public Utility District, dated March 2023.

Heber on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+CA typical 121San Diego Country Estates: 85 mg/LSan Diego Country Estates 85Imperial: 94 mg/LImperial 94Coachella: 99 mg/LCoachella 99Mecca: 113 mg/LMecca 113La Quinta: 113 mg/LLa Quinta 113El Centro: 150 mg/LEl Centro 150Brawley: 150 mg/LBrawley 150Calexico: 174 mg/LCalexico 174Alpine: 209 mg/LAlpine 209Jamul: 289 mg/LJamul 289Heber 53mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+CA 121Imperial: 94 mg/LImperial 94Mecca: 113 mg/LMecca 113El Centro: 150 mg/LEl Centro 150Brawley: 150 mg/LBrawley 150Calexico: 174 mg/LCalexico 174Alpine: 209 mg/LAlpine 20953 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

At 53 mg/L, Heber is 68 mg/L below the typical California figure of 121. None of the 10 nearest cities we track has softer water. The range nearby runs from 85 mg/L in San Diego Country Estates to 289 in Jamul.

What 53 mg/L means at home

Soap and shampoo lather with very little product. Kettles and showerheads stay mostly free of white crust.

Some people notice that soap feels slow to rinse off in soft water. That slippery feel is normal and harmless.

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

Nothing, as far as hardness goes. At 53 mg/L a softener would have almost nothing to remove.

Carbon filter

If the water tastes of chlorine, a pitcher or faucet carbon filter takes care of that. It does not change hardness.

EPA record for Heber's water system

Heber Public Utility District · PWSID CA1310007

7 health-based violations since 2016

Serves about 7,312 people from surface water.

Health-based
7
Monitoring or reporting
2
Open now
0
20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)Haloacetic acids (HAA5)'16'18'20'22'24'26Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Each dot is one health-based violation, placed at the start of its compliance period.
Contaminant or ruleViolationsPeriodStatus
Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)a disinfection byproduct42016–2017Resolved
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)a disinfection byproduct32016Resolved

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 Heber water hard?

No. It measures about 53 mg/L (3.1 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as soft.

What is the water hardness in Heber in grains per gallon?

About 3.1 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 53 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 3.1.

Has the Heber water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show 7 health-based violations for Heber Public Utility District since 2016, involving Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), Haloacetic acids (HAA5). There were also 2 monitoring or reporting violations, which are about late or missing tests and notices.

Nearby cities

All 515 cities in California

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, March 16, 2023), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.