Sun Valley Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
25.3 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.008 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
1439.1 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$1.00
energy & soap waste
Source: USGS Water Quality Portal · Updated 2026
0–60
mg/L
Soft
61–120
mg/L
Moderately Hard
121–180
mg/L
Hard
180+
mg/L
Very Hard
Appliance Damage Report
In Sun Valley, your appliances are currently losing 45% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Sun Valley | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -82% |
| Washing Machine | 3 yrs | 12 yrs | -75% |
| Water Heater | 5 yrs | 15 yrs | -67% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Sun Valley compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Sun Valley, Nevada | 433.5 mg/L | 4.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Sparks, Nevada | 366 mg/L | 4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Reno, Nevada | 96.5 mg/L | 2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | groundwater |
| Spanish Springs, Nevada | 361 mg/L | 4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Carson City, Nevada | 185.5 mg/L | 2.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
National Benchmark
How Sun Valley compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Sun Valley | 433.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Sun Valley home
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What Makes Sun Valley's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Sun Valley, Nevada, in Washoe County — an unincorporated Washoe County community in the north Reno-Sparks metropolitan area adjacent to Stead and North Valleys, part of the expanding north Reno suburban corridor — receives its municipal water from the Washoe County Department of Water Resources, drawing from the Truckee Meadows groundwater basin or the Truckee River in the Reno-Sparks metro area.
The extremely hard 433.5 mg/L hardness and very high TDS of 1439.1 mg/L — essentially matching Papillion NE (425 mg/L, TDS 1438) as the highest in the dataset — reflect the deep Truckee Meadows aquifer's extreme Basin and Range evaporite-carbonate chemistry. The Truckee Meadows is an internally drained Great Basin valley (Basin and Range Province) where ancient Lake Lahontan deposited thick evaporite layers (tuff, tufa, marl, gypsum — Pleistocene) over the Quaternary alluvium. Deep well production in the north Reno-Sun Valley area accesses the most mineralized portion of this aquifer, where prolonged water residence time and evaporite dissolution produce the extreme TDS and hardness values.
At 433.5 mg/L with TDS 1439 mg/L, Sun Valley's water is extremely hard. A whole-house water softener is essential and kitchen reverse osmosis filtration for drinking and cooking is strongly recommended — TDS of 1439 mg/L is approximately 4× the EPA aesthetic guideline. The PFAS level of 4.6 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — Reno-Sparks air quality and military-industrial PFAS from the Nevada Test and Training Range complex and the Reno-Tahoe area contribute to Sun Valley's readings.
Geology & Source: Sun Valley in Washoe County draws from Washoe County Water Resources on the Truckee Meadows groundwater basin (deep Quaternary alluvial aquifer) — the Truckee Meadows concentrates minerals from Basin and Range alluvial deposits and ancient Lake Lahontan evaporite remnants (tuff, tufa, gypsum) — Basin and Range closed-basin evaporite aquifer produces extremely hard water at 433.5 mg/L with very high TDS 1439 mg/L in this Washoe County Nevada community.