How Hard Is Glendale's Water? Reading the City Report

Glendale's water averaged 14.3 grains per gallon (244 mg/L) of hardness in 2024, with readings from 1.52 to 35 gpg (City of Glendale 2024 Water Quality Report). The supply blends Salt River Project water (46%), Colorado River water through the Central Arizona Project (43%) and city wells (5%).

The numbers that matter for home treatment

These come from the report's table of substances of frequent interest (City of Glendale, 2024 data):

• Hardness: 14.3 gpg average (244 mg/L), range 1.52 to 35 gpg.
• Calcium: 59 ppm average. Magnesium: 22 ppm average.
• Total dissolved solids: 565 ppm average, range 330 to 792.
• Sodium: 130 ppm average, range 46.2 to 187.
• pH: 7.9 average.

To convert, divide mg/L of hardness by about 17.1 to get grains per gallon.

Where the water comes from

The report's source chart splits Glendale's water four ways: 46% Salt River Project water from the Salt and Verde watersheds, 43% Colorado River water delivered by the Central Arizona Project, 6% reclaimed water that goes only to non-drinking uses, and 5% groundwater. The city says it can pump a limited amount of groundwater when needed, and it holds a 100-year Designation of Assured Water Supply from Arizona.

Why the range is so wide

A low of 1.52 and a high of 35 grains is a big spread. The report doesn't say where or when each extreme was measured, but river water and well water carry different mineral loads, and a blend that shifts will swing with them. The practical takeaway: test the water at your own tap, ideally more than once, before sizing a softener. A test strip gives a rough read; the free visit uses a proper hardness test.

The late-summer musty taste

The report notes that algae in the canals during late summer and fall can give the water a musty taste and odor, which the city absorbs with activated carbon. It's a taste issue rather than a safety one. If it bothers you at home, see whole-house water filters.

Turning the report into a decision

At 14.3 grains, most Glendale homes see enough scale to justify a water softener; high TDS or sodium in drinking water points toward reverse osmosis at the sink. The cost of a water softener in Glendale lays out each option's installed range. The city publishes a new report every year, so check the latest edition for updated figures.