Does Redding have hard water — do I need a softener?
Probably less than you'd think. The City of Redding classifies its treated water as soft in its annual water quality report. About 77% of the city's supply comes from surface sources (the Sacramento River and Whiskeytown), which test soft, and roughly 23% comes from groundwater, which tests moderately hard. So most homes on city water are not dealing with the kind of hardness that demands a softener. Where it changes is private wells — a lot of rural homes around Palo Cedro, Bella Vista, and the foothills draw untreated well water that can run harder. The honest answer is that it depends on your specific water, and we'll tell you straight rather than sell you a unit you don't need.
