Hard Water in the USA

Sparky · Oct 17, 2007

I found this map indicating regions of water hardness across the US. I'm sure there are others for other countries... I thought people might be interested to see this - as it's something that can heavily influence processing...

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noseoil · Oct 17, 2007

Here in Tucson, if a full glass of water is left out over night, there is a white layer of sediment clearly visible on the bottom in the morning. I use distilled for film developing and tap water for everything else. This has worked well for me and film results are consistent. If you have any doubt about your water quality, try the standing glass trick and see what you get. Would be curious to see which APUG users are working with water which is harder than they imagine. I'm sure Jim Galli needs a small meter with a needle that measures cosmic rads to test his. tim

Nick Zentena · Oct 17, 2007

Isn't temporary hardness more of an issue then just plain hardness? The water here in the Toronto area isn't that hard but it's temporary hardness. That means the stuff will drop out of solution if you blink at it.

Mackinaw · Oct 17, 2007

The map's accurate, at least in regards to where I live. A water softener solved that problem.

airgunr · Oct 17, 2007

Our water is tested at 32-33 grains. Rock hard.

copake_ham · Oct 17, 2007

While the map is helpful - it should be kept in mind that the hardness of one's water is also a function of source of supply. Artesian well water will be tend to be harder than water that has been provided via a percipitation-fed reservoir system.

For example, NYC gets its water from three separate reservoir systems that, according to the map, are located in hard water areas. But the reservoir water is runoff from rainfall and snowfall and so what is delivered to the tap is soft water.

Keep in mind that the map is from a site that SELLS water treatment systems.

RobertP · Oct 17, 2007

I use a RO system here in northeast ohio. The tap water from our city's treatment plant reads 200-300 ppm on my ppm meter. The water out of the RO system reads just like distilled 0 ppm. I had an extra faucet installed right on the darkroom sink. Works like a charm.

Akki14 · Oct 17, 2007

hahahaha yeah I agree with copake_ham, it really depends on your very local water supply. I'm sorry but our well water from an underground aquifer was most definitely more than "slightly hard" as given on that map. Actually I thought everyone in the area, even on city water, had hard water so I'm kind of surprised by that.

mark · Oct 17, 2007

Yeah, I agree with it. You have to chew the water around here.

bill schwab · Oct 17, 2007

Mackinaw said:
The map's accurate, at least in regards to where I live. A water softener solved that problem.

Only a little less than an hour north of you and am lucky to have really fine water without the need of softener. Deep well near the big lake though which probably helps.

Thomas Bertilsson · Oct 17, 2007

I have hard water in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, but see no real defects from it in processing film. I usually don't have too much problem with drying marks. One of these days I'll grow up and use distilled water for the final rinse, every time.
If I tried doing the 'glass overnight' thing, the water would get moldy before it evaporated.

- Thomas

Sparky · Oct 17, 2007

mark said:
Yeah, I agree with it. You have to chew the water around here.

You think THAT'S bad - here in LA we have to grind it.

Bob F. · Oct 17, 2007

Sparky said:
You think THAT'S bad - here in LA we have to grind it.

Ha! London water is delivered in a hessian sack on the doorstep... (do I detect the beginnings of a "my water is tougher than your water" competition? ).

Sirius Glass · Oct 17, 2007

Sparky said:
You think THAT'S bad - here in LA we have to grind it.

You forgot to tell them, that we have air that you can see!

Steve

copake_ham · Oct 17, 2007

Bob F. said:
Ha! London water is delivered in a hessian sack on the doorstep... (do I detect the beginnings of a "my water is tougher than your water" competition? ).

We have wonderfully soft water in our apartment in NYC - courtesy of that great reservoir system I alluded to in my earlier post.

Our water in Copake is perhaps even softer since it is from a well drilled over a wetland area.

Now, in Tucson, we are indeed talkin' hard water - which is how these water quality companies make a living.

Truth be told, outside of rocky upland Scotland, it would be hard for me to imagine
how GB +Eire could have "hard water" (it's just too rainy there).

But you're right - the "boys" are in a "hard water fight" - wonder where it will go?

Sparky · Oct 18, 2007

Our water is so hard - it's impossible to shower without getting lacerated.

(hopefully someone can do better/be funnier than that!)

Hard Water in the USA

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