Hard water in Magna, UT
County estimate from 5,390 water samples in Salt Lake County · July 2026
- UT typical
- 231 mg/L
- EPA health violations since 2016
- 1
- Softener for 3 people
- 32k grain
- Data
- County estimate
Water samples from around Magna put hardness at about 340 mg/L (19.9 gpg), which would be very hard on the USGS scale. Treat this as a rough guide: it is the median of 5,390 samples taken across Salt Lake County, mostly wells and streams, not a test of Magna's treated tap water. One more reason for caution: EPA lists Magna's water system as using surface water, which is often softer than the wells behind the county figure.
At 340 mg/L, Magna is 109 mg/L above the typical Utah figure of 231. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 8 have softer water and 2 have harder. The range nearby runs from 216 mg/L in Murray to 365 in Kearns.
What 340 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 340 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 × 19.9 gpg = 4,480 grains a day. A 32,000-grain unit regenerates about every 7 days.
EPA record for Magna's water system
1 health-based violation since 2016
Serves about 36,700 people from surface water.
- Health-based
- 1
- Monitoring or reporting
- 67
- Open now
- 0
EPA lists this system as serving Magna.
| Contaminant or rule | Violations | Period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coliform bacteriabacteria | 1 | 2016 | 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 Magna water hard?
Yes. It measures about 340 mg/L (19.9 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as very hard.
What is the water hardness in Magna in grains per gallon?
About 19.9 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 340 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 19.9.
What size water softener do I need in Magna?
For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 19.9 gpg works out to about 4,480 grains a day. A 32,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 7 days.
Has the Magna water system had EPA violations?
EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Magna Water District since 2016, involving Coliform bacteria. There were also 67 monitoring or reporting violations, which are about late or missing tests and notices.
Nearby cities
- West Valley City237 mg/LVery hard
- Stansbury Park295 mg/LVery hard
- Kearns365 mg/LVery hard
- Salt Lake City231 mg/LVery hard
- Taylorsville236 mg/LVery hard
- West Jordan243 mg/LVery hard
- North Salt Lake358 mg/LVery hard
- South Salt Lake231 mg/LVery hard
- Tooele333 mg/LVery hard
- Murray216 mg/LVery hard
Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (county estimate, July 4, 2026), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.