Water Education Foundation

Harder water heads to local taps: Residents may find spotty glasses and need more soap because of harder water, which is being distributed because of a statewide water shortage

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 3, 2008 at 6:38 am

From the O.C. Register:

Bathers may need more soap. Spots may stick to glasses. And cars may look a little filmy after being washed. That’s because Orange County’s water is harder these days.

For two weeks, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has sent only Colorado River water to Orange County. Because of the statewide shortage, the district for now has stopped allocating water that it gets from the State Water Project to local areas.

The state water from Northern California usually is blended with Colorado River water and sent to the Diemer Treatment Plant in Yorba Linda, which processes 400 million gallons of water daily. The water then is distributed to local cities and districts, most of which further mix it with other sources and making the water softer.

As a precaution on Oct. 19, the Metropolitan Water District began reserving the state water for the other areas of Southern California that rely solely on that source. That need became even greater this week when the state announced that it will initially supply just 15 percent of what is normally needed for the coming year.

“It’s certainly not helping matters. In order to adjust that blend of water, we’re going to need to access to more water from the state project,” said Bob Muir, Metropolitan Water District spokesman.

Read more from the O.C. Register by clicking here.

November 3, 2008 · Filed Under Drinking Water, Orange County

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