What this means: Henderson is among the harder supplies on record. Expect scale on fixtures and in water heaters; it is a comfort and maintenance cost, not a health finding.
Pipes don’t add hardness; a softener already in your home removes it. The city report gives the starting point. A test strip confirms what reaches your tap.
How to test at homeSoftener sizing depends on your gpg and household use. A test strip, or the city's report above, is enough to start. You don't need a lab for hardness.
What it can’t tell you: It measures hardness only, so it tells you nothing about lead, PFAS or bacteria.
At 17.8 gpg, an efficiency-rated softener uses up to about:
Sources: Penn State Extension (2025) · NSF/ANSI 44 listings
Why: it removes calcium and magnesium for every tap and appliance, the proven fix for scale. A salt-free conditioner changes how scale forms instead, without removing the minerals.
★ Best choice: GE GXSH35W Water Softener (35,000-grain), certified for hardness.
| Pick | Product | Details and price | Certification | Why it’s listed | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Best choice | Water softenerGE GXSH35W Water Softener (35,000-grain) | TreatshardnessTechnologyIon exchangePrice$$$ | Certified for Hardness / scale (NSF/ANSI 44, IAPMO) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names hardness, found in Henderson’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
| Also good | Water softenerKenmore 420 Water Softener (40,000-grain) | TreatshardnessTechnologyIon exchangePrice$$$ | Certified for Hardness / scale (NSF/ANSI 44, NSF) | Why it’s listed: its current certification names hardness, found in Henderson’s record.See the evidence | Check price on Amazon |
Also: lead picks →
Renting? A test kit and the cost guide above are your best next steps.
PurityMap earns a commission from these links. "Best choice" and "Budget pick" go to certified products first; commission never decides them. As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
HENDERSON CITY OF's latest water-quality report puts hardness at 17.8 grains per gallon (304 mg/L as calcium carbonate), which is very hard. Water above about 7 gpg is generally considered hard.
17.8 grains per gallon, in the USGS "very hard" band. On that scale soft is below 3.5 gpg, moderately hard 3.5–7, hard 7–10.5 and very hard above 10.5.
Hardness (calcium and magnesium) has no federal health-based limit. It affects scale, soap and appliance life, not the safety of the water. Softening adds some sodium, which matters for people on low-sodium diets.
At 17.8 gpg, many households choose a softener to cut scale on fixtures, water heaters and appliances. It is a comfort and maintenance choice, not a health requirement.
The softener itself costs about $500–$1,500 (Penn State Extension); installation is quoted locally. At 17.8 gpg, an efficiency-rated softener for a 3-person home uses up to about 440 lb of salt a year (about 11 40-lb bags) and 7,300 gallons of water to regenerate.
NSF/ANSI 44, the standard for water softeners, checked for the exact model in the certifier's listing (NSF, WQA or IAPMO). Its "Efficiency Rated" models use less salt and regeneration water.
No. A softener exchanges calcium and magnesium; it is not a lead or PFAS treatment. For those, use a drinking-water filter whose current certification names them, such as NSF/ANSI 53 or 58.
Yes. Penn State Extension puts it at about 7.5 mg of sodium per quart for each gpg removed, so softening water at 17.8 gpg adds about 134 mg per quart. That matters mainly for people on a low-sodium diet.
Yes. A hardness test strip gives a reading in grains per gallon within minutes, which is all you need to size a softener; hardness doesn't need a lab test.
It depends on what you want. A salt-free conditioner changes how scale forms but does not remove the calcium and magnesium, so a test still reads hard. An ion-exchange softener removes them for every tap and appliance.