Hard water in Selah, WA
Calculated from the utility's calcium and magnesium results · August 2022
- WA typical
- 36 mg/L
- EPA health violations since 2016
- 1
- Softener for 3 people
- 24k grain
- Data
- Calculated from utility data
Tap water in Selah has about 147 mg/L of hardness, which is 8.6 grains per gallon. On the USGS scale that counts as hard. TapWaterData worked it out from the calcium and magnesium levels the local utility reports (August 2022).
At 147 mg/L, Selah is 111 mg/L above the typical Washington figure of 36. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 9 have softer water and 1 has harder. The range nearby runs from 31 mg/L in Union Gap to 208 in Grandview.
What 147 mg/L means at home
Expect white crust on faucets and showerheads, plus spots on dishes that come out of the dishwasher.
Kettles collect scale quickly. Water heaters build up sediment at the bottom of the tank, which makes them work harder over time.
Soap and detergent need a little more to lather, and soap scum shows up in the tub.
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 147 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 × 8.6 gpg = 1,931 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 12 days.
EPA record for Selah's water system
1 health-based violation since 2016
Serves about 9,331 people from groundwater.
- Health-based
- 1
- Monitoring or reporting
- 4
- Open now
- 0
EPA lists this system as serving Selah.
| Contaminant or rule | Violations | Period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Coliform Rulebacteria | 1 | 2021 | 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 Selah water hard?
Yes. It measures about 147 mg/L (8.6 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as hard.
What is the water hardness in Selah in grains per gallon?
About 8.6 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 147 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 8.6.
What size water softener do I need in Selah?
For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 8.6 gpg works out to about 1,931 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 12 days.
Has the Selah water system had EPA violations?
EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Selah City of since 2016, involving Total Coliform Rule. There were also 4 monitoring or reporting violations, which are about late or missing tests and notices.
Nearby cities
- Yakima39 mg/LSoft
- Terrace Heights88 mg/LModerately hard
- Union Gap31 mg/LSoft
- Toppenish63 mg/LModerately hard
- Ellensburg60 mg/LSoft
- Grandview208 mg/LVery hard
- East Wenatchee80 mg/LModerately hard
- Wenatchee80 mg/LModerately hard
- West Richland33 mg/LSoft
- Richland89 mg/LModerately hard
Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (calculated from utility data, August 11, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.