Water Softener in Ontario, CA

How hard is Ontario's water, really?

It depends on which source is reaching your tap. Ontario Municipal Utilities Company (OMUC), the City-owned utility, supplies the whole city, mostly with Chino Basin groundwater from City wells. It also buys groundwater from the Chino Basin Desalter Authority and Jurupa Community Services District and imports State Water Project water treated at the Water Facilities Authority plant.

The utility's latest water quality report gives separate figures for each. City groundwater averages 124 mg/L, with a range of 82 to 150 mg/L. Imported water averages 91 mg/L. Purchased groundwater averages from 137 to 177 mg/L. In grains per gallon, that is roughly 5 to 10. Most softener makers would call much of that hard, and you will likely see it as crust on aerators and film on glass.

Will a softener fix the taste of Ontario's water?

Not by itself. OMUC's report lists a total chlorine residual that includes both chloramines and free chlorine. Softening only exchanges calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium; disinfectants pass right through. If taste or odor bothers you, a catalytic carbon filter ahead of or after the softener, or an under-sink reverse osmosis system for drinking water, is the right tool. Many homeowners combine the two.

Does my home's age change the install?

It can. Ontario's median home was built around 1980, though the city also has many newer homes in Ontario Ranch. In older houses, the plumber will look at the main shutoff and the pipe where the softener ties in; a corroded fitting or a valve that will not close is easier to replace while the water is already off. Newer homes may already have a softener loop in the garage, which makes the job quicker. OMUC has confirmed there are no lead service lines in its system.

A local note

The City of Ontario Building Department, at 303 East B Street, takes permit applications electronically through its Citizen Portal Access website; the plumber can confirm whether a softener installation needs one. Wastewater, including regeneration water, flows through OMUC's sewer lines and is treated by the Inland Empire Utilities Agency. For water quality questions, OMUC's Water Quality Programs line is (909) 395-2678.