Van Nuys Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Van Nuys, a major community within the City of Los Angeles in the central San Fernando Valley, receives its water supply from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), drawing from three blended sources: the Los Angeles Aqueduct system (carrying Owens Valley and Mono Basin water from the Sierra Nevada); State Water Project (SWP) imports via the Castaic Lake and Pyramid Lake terminal reservoirs; and locally pumped groundwater from the San Fernando Valley Groundwater Basin beneath the alluvial floor of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County. LADWP manages one of the largest municipal water systems in the United States. Water hardness in Van Nuys measures 69 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.

Van Nuys's moderately soft supply reflects the blended character of LADWP's multiple source waters. The Owens Valley and Mono Basin aqueduct carries glacially pure Sierra Nevada granite and metamorphic batholith snowmelt — among the softest natural source water in California. SWP imports via Castaic Lake add similar soft Sierra Nevada water. The San Fernando Valley Groundwater Basin fraction — pumped from Quaternary alluvial aquifer sands recharged by the Los Angeles River system — adds moderate calcium from alluvial sediment contact, but the high aqueduct fraction dominates, keeping the finished supply in the soft range for the Los Angeles region.

At 69 mg/L, Van Nuys residents experience minimal scale challenges in household use. Faucet aerators and showerheads require only occasional light cleaning. Soap and shampoo lather efficiently with modest product amounts. Dishwashers produce clean glassware. Hot water systems remain largely scale-free. LADWP consistently delivers water meeting all California SWRCB and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements throughout the Los Angeles distribution network.