Our licensed plumbers install salt-based softeners, salt-free conditioners, whole-house filters and under-sink reverse osmosis systems. We will also tell you when a system will not solve the problem you are describing.
What the city’s 2024 report shows
North Salt Lake’s 2024 water quality report lists total dissolved solids between 888 and 980 mg/L. That is a measure of everything dissolved in the water, mostly minerals. It is high enough that scale, spotting and buildup in fixtures are reasonable things to expect and to check.
The report does not give a hardness figure, so we do not quote one. Test your tap with a home kit or a lab before buying a system, and ask the water department for the annual report. A few addresses are served by South Davis Water District instead of the city, so confirm who sends your bill and request that agency’s report.
Signs your water is leaving minerals behind
- White or chalky crust builds up around faucet aerators and showerheads.
- Glasses and dishes come out of the dishwasher with spots, even with rinse aid.
- Soap lathers poorly and leaves a film on the tub or shower door.
- The water heater rumbles or pops when it heats.
- Hot water runs out sooner than it used to.
- Faucet cartridges and fill valves wear out faster than expected.
Salt-based softener or salt-free conditioner
| Option | What it does | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Salt-based softener | Swaps hardness minerals for sodium or potassium | Needs salt, a drain and regular refills |
| Salt-free conditioner | Changes how minerals form scale | Does not remove them, so spotting may remain |
| Whole-house filter | Removes chlorine, sediment and some tastes | Does not soften water |
| Under-sink RO | Strips most dissolved solids at one tap | Slow, wastes some water, needs a drain connection |
A softener does not lower total dissolved solids. If your concern is the taste of the water, a reverse osmosis system at the kitchen tap addresses it directly. If your concern is scale in the plumbing, a softener or conditioner does.
The sodium question
The same 2024 report lists sodium between 127 and 131 mg/L. A salt-based softener adds sodium in proportion to the hardness it removes, so the number in your glass goes up. If anyone in the home is on a sodium-restricted diet, ask your doctor, and consider potassium salt or an RO tap for drinking water.
Cooking and drinking from a separate RO tap while the softener protects the pipes is a common arrangement. It keeps added sodium out of the glass without giving up scale protection.
Whole-house filtration and under-sink RO
A whole-house filter handles sediment and chlorine before the water reaches your fixtures. It will not soften water, and it needs a cartridge change on schedule. An under-sink RO unit treats only the water from one faucet, which is usually where you want it.
The city’s report advises flushing taps for 30 seconds to two minutes after water has sat for hours. That is a general stagnation tip. It is no substitute for testing, and a filter you cannot confirm is working is not worth installing.
Ready to sort out your water?
Call and tell us what you see at the faucets and the water heater. We will explain what to test before you buy equipment.
Installing the drain and the air gap
Softener discharge goes to a drain, and regeneration water contains salt. Where that water may go is a local question, so ask the Building Department at 10 E Center Street and the South Davis Sewer District (801-295-3469) before you plan it.
Pick the location
We set the unit near the main line entry with room for a salt bin and a drain.
Plumb the bypass
A bypass valve lets you isolate the system for service without shutting off the house.
Make the drain legal
The brine drain needs an air gap so wastewater cannot siphon back into the unit.
Test and program
We check for leaks, set regeneration timing and show you the salt level.
Scale and your water heater
Minerals collect at the bottom of a tank water heater and coat the elements or burner. The result is noise, lower capacity and a shorter life. Flushing the tank each year slows this, and a softener slows it more. If your tank is already failing, water heater replacement is a good time to add treatment.
Tankless units are even more sensitive. Scale narrows the heat exchanger, so a tankless water heater in an untreated home needs regular descaling.
What affects the price
The system type, the grade of the media or membrane, the distance from the main line to the drain, the need for a new electrical outlet, and the cost of salt or cartridges over time all move the total. We give you a clear price before work starts. Water treatment is rarely an emergency, and same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows.
Standards for softener plumbing
A softener’s bypass, drain connection and air gap must meet the plumbing code Utah enforces, the International Plumbing Code (IPC). The brine drain cannot connect directly to a sewer line without an air gap, which is why the install is more than a swap of two hoses.
Frequently asked questions
The city’s report gives dissolved solids, not hardness. Test your tap with a kit or lab and ask the water department for the annual report.
No. A softener swaps minerals and adds sodium. Total dissolved solids stay about the same unless you use reverse osmosis.
It helps reduce scale formation but does not remove minerals. If spotting is the main complaint, a salt-based softener usually works better.
Adding a softener to existing plumbing may involve a permit, and Utah limits what homeowners may do themselves. Check with the Building Department and DOPL, and verify any plumber on the DOPL lookup.
Check with the city and the South Davis Sewer District. We run the drain with an air gap as local rules allow.
Yes. Most failures come from a clogged injector, a bad valve or a salt bridge. We diagnose the cause and tell you if repair costs more than replacement.
Yes, through our Woods Cross dispatch. The same test-first approach applies there.