Does Reno Nevada have hard water?

Yes. Northern Nevada has some of the hardest water in the United States, measuring up to 180-350 mg/L depending on location. A water softener is highly recommended for Reno, Dayton, and Lyon County homes.

What is in Reno city water?

Reno city water contains 16 contaminants that exceed EWG health guidelines, including arsenic (6.8 ppb), nitrates, chlorine disinfection byproducts, hexavalent chromium, and uranium.

How much does a water softener cost in Reno NV?

Water softener systems from Pure Water Systems of Nevada start from $55/month with financing. A whole-house water softener can save homeowners over $4,500 per year in reduced soap usage, appliance longevity, and energy costs.

Is there arsenic in Reno well water?

Yes. Northern Nevada has the highest arsenic levels in the continental United States. The Desert Research Institute found nearly 1 in 4 private wells in Northern Nevada exceed the EPA's 10 ppb safety limit. Pure Water Systems offers NSF-certified arsenic filtration systems.

Does Pure Water Systems offer free water testing?

Yes. Pure Water Systems of Nevada offers completely free in-home water testing with no obligation to purchase. Tests check for hardness, pH, iron, chlorine, manganese, arsenic, and more.

Hard Water vs. Soft Water: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

Not all water is the same, and the main distinction — hard versus soft — affects your home, your appliances, and your monthly costs. Here’s what actually separates them.

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water carries high levels of dissolved calcium and magnesium, picked up as water passes through rock and soil. Northern Nevada has plenty of both — Fernley runs around 15 grains, Dayton around 13.

It isn’t harmful to drink. But it shows up as chalky residue on faucets, soap scum in sinks and showers, and laundry that comes out stiff and dull.

What Is Soft Water?

Rainwater starts soft and hardens as it moves through the ground. A softener reverses that using ion exchange — the calcium and magnesium are captured on a resin bed and swapped for sodium or potassium.

Worth understanding: softening doesn’t remove minerals so much as trade them. Your water isn’t demineralised, and a TDS meter won’t read much lower after softening. What changes is that the remaining minerals don’t form scale or react with soap.

What Hard Water Does to Your Home

Appliances: scale clogs pipes, raises energy use, and shortens the life of water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines.
Cleaning: soap and detergent don’t lather properly, so you use more and still get residue on clothes, dishes, and surfaces.
Skin and hair: mineral and soap residue is left behind, which people with dry or sensitive skin tend to notice most.

What Changes With Soft Water

Appliances last longer without scale forming inside them — the single biggest financial argument.
Cleaning gets easier and uses noticeably less product.
Less residue on skin and hair. Most people prefer the result; some find fully softened water feels slippery, which is why we set systems up to your preference rather than to a default.

Which You Need

Softening and filtration solve different problems. If your issue is scale, spotting, and soap, that’s hardness. If it’s taste, odour, arsenic, or contaminants, that’s filtration. Many homes here need both.

Start with a test. Book a free water test or call (775) 324-2001.