La Mesa's water comes from Helix Water District, and the plant water averages about 12 grains per gallon of hardness, enough to scale up fixtures, shower valves and water heaters. With a median home built around 1970, many La Mesa houses need a softener loop added at the main. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in La Mesa.
How to tell hardness is the problem
- A shower valve that gets stiff to turn or drifts in temperature
- Grit in faucet screens after the water has been off
- Pale crust on the outside of hose bibs and around sink drains
- Water heater recovery that has slowed over the years
- Dull, filmy dishes and a white ring inside the toilet tank
La Mesa's water and housing
The district headquarters sits on University Avenue in La Mesa, and Helix supplies the city with a mix of imported water bought through the San Diego County Water Authority and local runoff from Lake Cuyamaca and El Capitan Reservoir. Most is treated at the R.M. Levy plant in Lakeside. Helix reports its plant water at an average of 206 mg/L as calcium carbonate, about 12.0 grains per gallon, and water it purchases already treated at an average of 146 mg/L, about 8.5 grains. That's firmly hard either way.
Helix uses chloramines in its distribution system, averaging about 2.1 mg/L as chlorine. Chloramine passes straight through a softener, and over many years it can soften and break down standard resin beads. A carbon tank ahead of the softener, or resin built to resist it, is worth pricing.
La Mesa's median home dates to about 1970. Houses of that age usually have no pre-plumbed loop, original galvanized or copper supply lines in places, and a main that may enter somewhere other than the garage. A plumber will often suggest replacing the main shutoff while the line is open.
Cost factors
- Adding a loop, bypass and shutoffs to an older main
- Resin capacity for your tested hardness and household size
- A carbon stage for chloramine
- Drain access for the brine line and an outlet for the valve
- Permit handling if the existing system is altered
- Hauling away an old unit
What to expect on the call
An independent plumber who works in La Mesa will ask about the house, where the main enters and whether a softener is already there. La Mesa's Building Division says a plumbing permit may be needed for any addition or change to a building's existing system, while simple fixture repair or replacement usually isn't, and applications go through the city's MaintStar portal. The plumber can tell you which side of that line your job falls on. Questions about the meter or a break in the street go to Helix at 619-466-0585.
Water Softeners & Filtration questions in La Mesa
Does putting in a softener loop need a permit?
Does chloraminated tap water wear out softener resin?
Where does a softener go in a house with no pre-plumbed loop?
When is an older softener worth repairing instead of replacing?
More plumbing services in La Mesa
Water Softeners & Filtration nearby
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