Hard water in Plumas Lake, CA
Reported by Fairway Downs Mutual Water CO · August 2022
- CA typical
- 121 mg/L
- EPA health violations since 2016
- 1
- Softener for 3 people
- 24k grain
- Data
- Utility report
The water in Plumas Lake carries roughly 197 mg/L of dissolved calcium and magnesium, or 11.5 grains per gallon. That is very hard water. The number comes from Fairway Downs Mutual Water CO, dated August 2022.
At 197 mg/L, Plumas Lake is 76 mg/L above the typical California figure of 121. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 9 have softer water and 1 has harder. The range nearby runs from 11 mg/L in Rocklin to 247 in Yuba City.
What 197 mg/L means at home
Scale forms fast here. Kettles and coffee makers need regular descaling, and showerheads clog unless you clean them.
Tank water heaters collect mineral sediment that insulates the water from the burner, so flushing the tank matters more than usual.
Dishes and glass shower doors spot easily. Soap scum and a dull film on hair or laundry are common complaints.
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
At 197 mg/L most of the trouble is scale, and only a few things deal with it.
Ion-exchange water softener
The standard whole-house fix. It swaps calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium and needs salt plus a drain. Size it with the calculator below.
Salt-free conditioner
No salt and no drain line. It changes how minerals form scale instead of removing them, so water still tests hard.
Reverse osmosis or carbon filter
Under-sink reverse osmosis removes minerals from drinking water only. Plain carbon filters improve taste but do not soften.
3 people × 75 gallons a day × 11.5 gpg = 2,592 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 9 days.
EPA record for Plumas Lake's water system
1 health-based violation since 2016
Serves about 100 people from groundwater.
- Health-based
- 1
- Monitoring or reporting
- 0
- Open now
- 0
| Contaminant or rule | Violations | Period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Coliform Rulebacteria | 1 | 2019 | Resolved |
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 Plumas Lake water hard?
Yes. It measures about 197 mg/L (11.5 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as very hard.
What is the water hardness in Plumas Lake in grains per gallon?
About 11.5 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 197 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 11.5.
What size water softener do I need in Plumas Lake?
For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 11.5 gpg works out to about 2,592 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 9 days.
Has the Plumas Lake water system had EPA violations?
EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Fairway Downs Mutual Water CO since 2016, involving Total Coliform Rule.
Nearby cities
- Yuba City247 mg/LVery hard
- Marysville98 mg/LModerately hard
- Lincoln15 mg/LSoft
- Roseville19 mg/LSoft
- Rocklin11 mg/LSoft
- Antelope90 mg/LModerately hard
- Rio Linda93 mg/LModerately hard
- Loomis11 mg/LSoft
- Foothill Farms92 mg/LModerately hard
- North Highlands98 mg/LModerately hard
Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, August 10, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.