According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85% of the United States has to cope with hard water-water with excessive levels of calcium and magnesium. While hard water is not considered to be unhealthy for people to drink, it can be very unhealthy for household plumbing, cleaning processes and water-using appliances.
The minerals in hard water form a hard scale that can shorten the life of plumbing fixtures and appliances. For example, scale build-up can decrease the life of toilets by 70% and faucets by 40%, according to a report published by the American Water Works Association. Hardness scale can also shorten the life of washing equipment, dishwashers, and washing machines by as much as 30%, according to the AWWA report.