Los Angeles Water Mineral Content: What’s in Your Tap?

Los Angeles has a hard water problem. If you’ve noticed white spots on dishes, dry skin after showers, or scale buildup on faucets, you’re not alone. These are classic signs of mineral-heavy water—and they’re common across Southern California.

The culprit? High levels of calcium, magnesium, and other dissolved minerals in the city’s water supply. These minerals don’t pose serious health risks, but they affect plumbing, appliances, and everyday comfort.

Let’s look at what’s really in L.A.’s water, where the minerals come from, and how homeowners are dealing with the side effects.

Los Angeles water is classified as “very hard”, according to both the City of L.A. Water Quality Report and Environmental Working Group (EWG) data.

Here’s a snapshot from the 2023 LADWP report:

The U.S. Geological Survey considers water with over 180 mg/L of hardness as “very hard.” In some areas of L.A., levels of CaCO₃ exceed 180 mg/L, making their water hard.

Hard water isn’t unsafe to drink—but it causes plenty of household problems. And for many, it’s a daily nuisance.

Los Angeles pulls water from multiple sources:

In drought years, the city relies even more on groundwater—which can have even higher TDS and hardness levels depending on the basin.

L.A.’s water delivery system is massive and aging. In some neighborhoods, corroded pipes contribute trace metals like iron, copper, or zinc. While these don’t always show up in test results, they can influence taste, color, and residue.

Hard water isn’t toxic, but it’s tough on your home and your wallet. Here’s how:

Minerals like calcium and magnesium form a hard white crust (scale) on showerheads, faucets, and tile. Over time, this can clog aerators, reduce water pressure, and damage plumbing.

Water heaters, dishwashers, coffee makers, and washing machines all suffer from mineral buildup. Limescale reduces efficiency, shortens appliance life, and leads to more frequent repairs.

According to the Water Quality Research Foundation, homes with hard water can reduce appliance lifespan by 30–50% compared to those with soft water.

Scale inside a water heater acts as insulation, making it work harder to heat the same amount of water. This can raise energy bills significantly over time.

Hard water doesn’t lather well with soap. That means:

The Environmental Working Group found 24 total contaminants in Los Angeles water in its most recent report. Nine exceeded their recommended health guidelines, including:

None of these are directly related to mineral hardness, but they add to the concerns about overall water quality. When combined with hard water issues, it’s no surprise many homeowners look for better filtration or softening solutions.

Yes—and it’s a smart first step. Water hardness can vary by neighborhood and even from house to house depending on:

The LADWP publishes zone-based test results, but a home water test gives the most accurate picture of what’s coming out of your tap.

Many homeowners use these results to decide between a water softener, reverse osmosis system, or whole-house filtration.

Not necessarily—but it depends on your priorities.

If you’re tired of:

…then hard water minerals are a problem worth fixing.

While these minerals aren’t harmful at low levels, they can make daily life more expensive and frustrating. For those with sensitive skin or respiratory concerns, added minerals can also be an irritant.

Culligan of Los Angeles has served the region for decades, helping local homeowners deal with hard water and mineral buildup. Their systems are custom-built based on your home’s water test results and use advanced filtration or ion exchange to reduce hardness.

Culligan softeners remove calcium and magnesium using a salt-based exchange system. This protects your pipes, extends appliance life, and makes showers feel smoother.

Benefits include:

Many Los Angeles residents use whole-home filtration or under-sink reverse osmosis systems to remove chlorine, disinfection byproducts, and unwanted tastes from tap water. If you’re concerned about EWG-listed contaminants, these systems can help.

Los Angeles has hard water. The minerals in it—mainly calcium and magnesium—aren’t dangerous, but they do affect your plumbing, comfort, and appliance longevity. With high TDS levels and zone-based variation, many homeowners turn to water softeners and filtration systems to protect their homes and families.

The best solution? Start with a water test. From there, you can choose a system that fits your needs and your water.

Want to know your home’s water hardness level? Schedule a free water test today.