If their account has been current for an entire calendar year, or 2. When they close their account. Whichever occurs first. Hardness is determined primarily by the amount of calcium and magnesium in the water. The desired level of hardness in your water depends entirely on your own personal preference.
Some people prefer very soft water while others prefer their water to be quite hard.
If you do decide to install a water softener, you should be aware that most water softening systems use sodium in their softening process. If anyone in your household is on a low-sodium diet they should discuss this issue with their doctor. One possible approach would be to install the water softener in the feed line to your hot water heater. This would result in soft water for bathing and clothes washing yet still avoid the higher sodium content in the cold water used for cooking and drinking. Copyright 2000 Great Oaks Water.