SaltyStork Journal

Phoenix water, softeners, and the occasional rant about salt bags.

Straight answers on what Valley water is actually doing to your house and what's worth doing about it — from the people who install the systems.

Water basics

How hard is Phoenix water, really?

The number is bigger than you think, and the cost to your appliances is bigger than that. What "grains per gallon" actually means, what the Valley's water utilities publish, and why the East Valley gets hit hardest.

Jake Richards · April 2026 · 6 min read