Faucet Repair in Redlands, CA

How hard is Redlands water, and what does it do to faucets?

The City of Redlands Municipal Utilities & Engineering Department draws on surface water from the Santa Ana River and Mill Creek watersheds and on Bunker Hill Basin groundwater, which covers about half of normal demand, with State Water Project water added at peak times. Its 2022 Consumer Confidence Report lists groundwater hardness averaging 152 mg/L (range 100 to 200) and treated surface water averaging 135 mg/L (range 130 to 140), with chlorine as the disinfectant.

At those levels, calcium and magnesium leave a film inside faucets. On a single-lever faucet, scale on the cartridge makes the handle stiff and eventually lets water slip past the seals. On two-handle faucets, it builds on the washers and seats. Aerators clog first, which is why weak flow from one spout is often fixed by cleaning or replacing the aerator.

Are there lead concerns with older Redlands faucets?

The City reports that its service line inventory found no lead service lines and no galvanized lines requiring replacement in its distribution system, and it publishes inventory maps. That covers the lines the City tracks. Faucets inside a home belong to the owner, and an old fixture can be replaced with one built to current low-lead standards, which is a sensible step when you are changing it anyway.

Does replacing a faucet in Redlands need a permit?

The City of Redlands Building & Safety Division, at the One Stop Permit Center at 35 Cajon Street, Suite 15A, issues plumbing permits along with building, electrical and mechanical permits, and can be reached at 909-798-7536. Applications can be started on the City's online portal. A simple repair inside an existing faucet is not the same as new piping or relocating a fixture, so ask the plumber or Building & Safety before larger work begins.

About backflow assemblies

Redlands requires every backflow prevention assembly with active water service to be tested at least once a year by a City-approved certified tester, with results filed through the City's BSI Online system. If water is dripping from a backflow assembly on an irrigation or service line rather than a faucet, that is a tester's job. City water customer service is listed at (909) 798-7516.