Water Softener in Bonita, CA

How hard is Bonita's water?

Sweetwater Authority serves Bonita along with National City and much of Chula Vista. Its supply is a blend: Sweetwater River water stored in Sweetwater Reservoir, fresh groundwater from deep wells in National City, brackish groundwater from Chula Vista wells that is desalted by reverse osmosis, and imported Colorado River or State Water Project water. The report lists total hardness of 94 to 300 ppm as calcium carbonate, averaging 196.

Because the blend shifts, the number at your faucet can sit well above or below that average. A test strip or drop kit at the kitchen sink takes a few minutes and gives the plumber a real figure to program into the valve.

Is a 1970s Bonita house ready for a softener?

Usually not without some work. Bonita's median home was built around 1975, before builders routinely stubbed out a softener loop near the garage. Adding one means cutting into the main where it enters the house, installing inlet and outlet valves with a bypass, and running a brine line to a drain with an air gap. The control valve also needs an outlet nearby.

That visit is a sensible time to look at the original main shutoff and any old hose bib valves. Hillside and larger lots also raise the question of whether outdoor spigots and irrigation should be split off ahead of the softener so you aren't spending salt on landscaping.

Does a softener do anything for my pipes or service line?

It slows scale inside piping, water heaters and fixture valves, which is the main payoff. It doesn't change the pipe material. Sweetwater Authority's service line inventory found no lead or galvanized service lines needing replacement, including the customer-owned side, so the line from the meter isn't a lead concern; the piping inside an older house is a separate question a plumber can look at while the main is open.

Sweetwater disinfects with chloramine, which a softener leaves in place. If taste is the complaint, a carbon filter or a drinking water tap does more than softening.

A Bonita note on permits

Which office issues plumbing permits depends on where your property sits, so confirm with the building department that covers your address before a new loop is cut into the main. A local plumber usually knows which office handles your street and can pull the permit. If the supply breaks on the utility side of the meter, Sweetwater's customer service line, (619) 420-1413, also takes after-hours emergencies.