North Hills Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

North Hills, California, a neighborhood in the northwest San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles — a diverse community adjacent to Northridge and Arleta, historically known as Sepulveda before being renamed by the city in 1991 — draws its municipal water supply from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) imported water (Colorado River Aqueduct and State Water Project) and local San Fernando Valley Groundwater Basin via the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) North Valley District. Water hardness in North Hills measures 172 mg/L — classified as hard.

North Hills' hard supply — notably harder than other San Fernando Valley communities like Valley Glen (106.5 mg/L) or Canoga Park (98.5 mg/L) — reflects the northwest San Fernando Valley's higher proportion of the harder LADWP supply components. The LADWP supply to the North Hills–Northridge area of the northwest Valley includes a higher fraction of the Owens River Aqueduct supply (Eastern Sierra Nevada calcareous contact zone) and potentially higher Colorado River Aqueduct blend fraction compared to the west and south Valley zones. Additionally, the local San Fernando Valley Groundwater Basin wells in the North Hills area may draw from zones with higher calcareous content from the Quaternary Alluvium of the Chatsworth and Simi Hills drainage.

At 172 mg/L, North Hills residents face regular hard water challenges. Scale deposits form on faucet aerators, showerheads, and appliances within weeks — monthly descaling with citric acid solution is standard maintenance. LADWP consistently delivers water meeting all California SWRCB and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.