Key Takeaways:

• It's the Geology: North Texas sits on massive limestone deposits. Limestone is calcium carbonate.
• Rain Dissolves Rock: Rainwater flows over this limestone into our lakes (Lavon, Lewisville, Ray Hubbard), dissolving the calcium along the way.
• Treatment Plants Don't Remove it: Municipal treatment makes water safe, but they do not remove hardness minerals.
• The Result: By the time water reaches your tap, it's rich in dissolved calcium rock—which is exactly what limescale is.

If you've lived in North Texas for any length of time, you're intimately familiar with the signs of hard water: the chalky film on your shower door, the crusty buildup on your faucets, and the constant battle with spotty dishes. But why is our water like this?

The answer lies in the ground beneath our feet.

It All Starts with Limestone

The geology of North Texas is dominated by vast deposits of limestone. This is a sedimentary rock formed millions of years ago from the skeletal fragments of marine organisms. The primary component of limestone is calcium carbonate.

Our water supply in the DFW metroplex comes from surface water sources—a network of large reservoirs and lakes like Lake Lavon, Lake Ray Hubbard, and Lake Lewisville.

The Journey from Rain to Faucet

1. Rainfall: When rain falls, it's naturally "soft," meaning it's free of dissolved minerals.
2. Flowing Over Rock: As this rainwater flows over the land and through streams and rivers on its way to our reservoirs, it passes over and through the region's limestone and chalk formations.
3. Dissolving Minerals: Water is a natural solvent. As it moves, it dissolves the calcium and magnesium from the rock, carrying these minerals with it.
4. To the Treatment Plant: By the time the water reaches the municipal treatment plant, it is already rich in these dissolved hardness minerals.

Municipal Treatment Doesn't Remove Hardness

It's important to know that city water treatment plants are designed to make water safe to drink, not to make it soft. Their job is to filter out sediment, remove harmful bacteria, and disinfect the water. They do not remove the dissolved calcium and magnesium because these minerals are not considered a health risk.

So, the hard water is pumped from the treatment plant directly to your home.

The Only Solution is at Home

Because hardness is an issue that municipalities don't address, the only way to protect your home from the damaging effects of limescale is to treat the water where it enters your house. A water softener is a miniature treatment plant for your home that is specifically designed to remove the calcium and magnesium that our local geology puts in.

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Reviewed by Sai Akash Tumu, TCEQ Licensed Water Treatment Specialist (#WT0007448). Our approach is to educate first. For a personalized assessment, contact us for a free consultation.

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Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only. Water conditions vary, and we recommend a professional on-site water test for an accurate solution. This is not medical advice. Read full disclaimer >