There are two routes to your water’s mineral level: your supplier’s report if you are on public water, and a laboratory test for any supply. Penn State Extension says about 75 percent of Pennsylvania residents get their drinking water from a public or community supply, while homeowners in more rural settings typically use individual wells, springs or cisterns. Which group you are in decides where to start. We give no figure for any Lancaster-area supply, because only your own report or test can.
If You Are On A Public Water Supply
Your supplier issues an annual Consumer Confidence Report, and Penn State says it reaches each customer by mail or online. Public supplies are required to inform customers of routine test results for bacteria, lead, nitrate and other contaminants this way. Penn State adds that the reports for most large supplies are on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s CCR website, and that you can also check your supplier’s website or call them for a copy. The EPA’s Consumer Confidence Reports page has a “find your local CCR” route for consumers.
Whether a particular report lists a mineral level is for that report to show. Penn State notes that there are no federal or state standards for hardness in water, so a supplier’s regulated-contaminant reporting does not tell you a figure is in it. If it is missing, the laboratory route below is the one Penn State describes.
If You Have A Private Well, Spring Or Cistern
Penn State Extension says testing a private supply in Pennsylvania is the voluntary responsibility of the homeowner. Those supplies are unregulated in the state, so there is no annual report arriving in the mail. A laboratory test is the way to a number. Virginia Tech Extension says a qualified laboratory can analyze your water for hardness.
Found your number? Call (717) 500-8528 and we will talk through what it means for your heater.
What A Lab Test Involves
Penn State Extension says a hardness test typically costs about $20 at an accredited water testing lab. That figure is from a Penn State page last updated in August 2022, so treat it as a rough guide and confirm with the lab. Penn State lists hardness among the tests homeowners on public supplies most frequently request, and says water testing is valuable to confirm the presence and level of hardness before any water treatment is installed.
Results are usually reported in grains per gallon or milligrams per liter of calcium carbonate, according to Virginia Tech Extension, so check the unit on your report before comparing it with a table. Our units and classes guide has the classes and the conversion.
After You Have The Number
The sources tie action to whether the number is causing a problem. Virginia Tech says treatment is generally not required below 7.0 gpg or 120 mg/L, and necessary only when the hardness level is causing a problem for the homeowner. What the deposit does to a heater is in our effects guide, what manufacturer documents say about coverage is in our manufacturer documents guide, and what a softener does to the plumbing around it is in the softener guide.
What This Page Will Not Tell You
It will not recommend a home test strip or meter. We found no Extension or government source that evaluates the accuracy of home test kits, so we do not rate them. It also will not name a laboratory, because a current accredited-lab list is the supplier’s or Extension’s to give, and it makes no statement about which Lancaster-area utility reports a mineral level. For heater service in the meantime, see water heater maintenance in Lancaster, PA.
Have A Number And A Heater Question?
Service requests and emergency service are available 24/7 across Lancaster City and Lancaster County.
Call For Emergency ServiceTesting FAQ
How do I find out what is in my water?
Start with your water supplier’s annual Consumer Confidence Report if you are on public water, or a laboratory test if you are not or the report does not list a mineral level. Penn State Extension describes both routes. It notes that there are no federal or state standards for hardness, so check that the report actually includes it.
Where do I find my supplier’s annual report?
Penn State Extension says the report is provided to each customer by mail or online. It adds that reports for most large supplies are on the EPA’s CCR website, and that you can check your supplier’s website or call them. The EPA’s Consumer Confidence Reports page has a route to find your local report.
How much does a lab test cost?
Penn State Extension says a hardness test typically costs about $20 at an accredited water testing lab. That is from a page last updated in August 2022 and is not a quote; confirm with the lab you choose.
Do I need to test a private well?
Penn State Extension says testing a private supply is the voluntary responsibility of the homeowner. There is no regulation requiring it. If you want a figure, a laboratory test is the route; Virginia Tech says a qualified laboratory can analyze water for hardness.
Are home test strips accurate?
We do not say. We found no Extension or government source that evaluates them, so this site neither recommends nor rates them. A laboratory result is the figure the Extension sources reference.
Who can help with a water heater after a test near me in Lancaster County?
Lancaster Water Heater Pros services water heaters across Lancaster City and Lancaster County. Call (717) 500-8528 with your result and your symptoms. Service requests are accepted 24/7.