The hardness of water refers to the amount of calcium and magnesium and up to six other minerals in the water. These minerals can make cleaning with the water “hard” or difficult because the water does not create suds or lather very well. Hard water will also leave white deposits or scale on dishes.
Water that does not contain very much calcium or magnesium is called “soft” water.
As water travels over or through the ground, it dissolves these naturally occurring minerals. Generally, ground water, or water from wells, tends to have more minerals, such as calcium or magnesium, because the water is exposed to the minerals longer. Surface water, or water from reservoirs, tends to be softer because it has less contact with the minerals.
Approximately 75 percent of Cheyenne’s water comes from reservoirs and 25 percent from wells. Cheyenne’s water contains approximately 35 milligrams of calcium carbonate per 100 milliliters of water or roughly 2 grains of hardness. Water containing less than 75 milligrams per 100 milliliters, or about 4.5 grains, is classified as “soft.”
