With hot summer days approaching and outdoor water usage rising, some homeowners need to watch more than just their water efficiency. This season’s activities might be also affecting your water’s hardness. If your city pre-softens its water during treatment, you need to consider how your water quality changes month to month with high demand.

Some cities, including Carmel, Indiana, have an extra step in their water treatment process. They’ll clean the water as usual with chlorine, but they also pre-soften the water before distribution. This service might be helpful during low-usage months, but hardness levels can jump throughout the year.

Soft Water in Summer

Because homeowners can double or even quadruple their water usage during the summer, cities that pre-soften their water often can’t keep up with the demand. So as water usage spikes in the summer, the hardness in municipal water spikes too. There usually isn’t enough time to soften the water after treatment.

If you live in an area with pre-softened water, that “soft water” you think you’ve been getting is probably extra-hard water in the summer. And if you don’t have a home water softener, that city water could be taking a toll. Hard water is tough on your home’s appliances and fixtures. It can also do a number on your laundry, hair, and skin.

The Soft Water Solution

The only way to ensure you and your family are actually getting soft water year round is to have your own softener system. Even for the lower-usage months, it’s wise to have a personal softener to supplement and keep your water’s hardness at a consistently low level.

The best water softeners keep up with your water usage without compromising water quality. Some systems even have a bypass valve to help you save on costs when watering your lawn or working outside. That way, you can switch to the city’s hard water when you need water outdoors. Your grass doesn’t need soft water, but your appliances and day-to-day life can definitely benefit from it.