Does Tulsa Have Hard Water — And What Can I Do About It?
Tulsa and surrounding areas — including Broken Arrow, Bixby, Owasso, and Jenks — are known for having moderately hard to hard water. This means the water contains elevated levels of minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which can leave behind residue on faucets, dishes, and shower doors, and can make soaps and detergents less effective. Over time, hard water can also affect appliances like water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines.
How Hard Is Tulsa Water?
The City of Tulsa’s 2025 Water Quality Report does not include a current systemwide hardness measurement. However, previous reports and regional data show that Tulsa’s water hardness typically ranges between 180–220 mg/L (10.5–12.9 grains per gallon) — levels that classify it as hard.
Tulsa’s water supply comes primarily from Spavinaw Lake and Lake Eucha, which naturally collect minerals as water travels through the watershed. Because the city uses surface water sources rather than groundwater, hardness levels can fluctuate slightly throughout the year depending on rainfall and seasonal conditions.
If you notice scale buildup, soap scum, or dry skin and hair, you’re likely feeling the effects of hard water. Installing a water softener can help reduce mineral buildup, extend appliance life, and improve the feel of your water throughout your home.
What Are Some Of The Issues With Hard Water In Tulsa?
Older homes in Tulsa with galvanized copper plumbing can experience scale buildup in pipes from hard water. This buildup can decrease water flow and pressure and can also lead to premature pipe corrosion. Scale can also accumulate in water heaters, reducing efficiency and increasing energy bills. Other appliances that use water, such as dishwashers and ice makers, can also have reduced lifespan.
Scale buildup can be seen on faucets, shower heads, and toilets. This is an appearance issue and can also affect functionality. If you irrigate your flowers, it can leave white spots on foliage. Homes with wooden structures, such as decks and patios, may experience issues if you clean them regularly with hard water, such as discoloration.
Why Choose Culligan for Hard Water Problems in Tulsa?
Tulsa’s hard water can damage pipes, dull hair and skin, shorten appliance lifespan, and leave behind stubborn scale—but Culligan has the solution. Our industry-leading water softeners are specifically designed to combat high mineral levels, delivering softer water that protects your plumbing, improves skin and hair health, and helps your home run more efficiently. With affordable monthly options, free water hardness testing, and expert local support, Culligan makes it easy to get lasting relief from Tulsa’s toughest water, from Riverview to Winter Haven.
Solutions
Products to Solve Hard Water Problems
Aquasential™ Smart High Efficiency Water Softener
- Smart brine tank auto-monitors salt levels
- Convenient auto-bypass valve
- Reliable non-corrosive valve
- Worry-free maintenance
Is Hard Water Treatment Available In Tulsa?
Culligan Water is the most immediate fix — for as low as $9.95 a month you can solve your hard water problems immediately with a water softener.
There are proactive steps you can take to stop hard water buildup from affecting your home or your family. This includes keeping your surfaces around water clean and dry, and using spray cleaner on shower doors and mirrors regularly.
Home remedies can help temporarily. Most solutions involve white vinegar, which is a general household cleaning solution:
| Chrome Faucets | Wrap paper towels or rag soaked in vinegar around the faucet and let it sit for an hour. Rinse and wipe it dry. |
| Shower Heads | Take off the shower head and soak it in white vinegar for 12 hours. Scrub with an old toothbrush, rinse and reinstall it. |
| Shower Doors | Spray with white vinegar or white wine to remove lime scale and hard water stains. |
| Dishwashers | Once a month, add a cup of white vinegar to your dishwasher and run it through a cycle. |
| Washing Machines | Add a gallon of white vinegar to the empty washing machine and run through a cycle with hot water. |
| Toilet Tanks | Add three cups of white vinegar to your toilet tank. |
| Coffee Makers | Run a cycle unfiltered through the reservoir full of white vinegar to remove mineral deposits. Run two more full 12-cup brewing cycles with regular water. |
| Sinks and Tubs | Spray the surface with lemon juice or vinegar, let sit for half hour. Wipe clean. |
How Does Hard Water Affect My Skin?
Soap scum isn’t just for your bathroom tiles – it can build up on your skin, too. The minerals in hard water leave a film around your epidermis that clogs your pores, trapping the natural oils and forming blemishes.
The natural oils in your skin work hard to lubricate and provide moisture. The film left around your skin clogs your pores, leaving your skin to feel dry and itchy.
Hard water may cause your skin to age faster. Dermatologist Dr. Dennis Gross says many of the impurities in hard water can form free radicals that damage healthy skin cells. This can lead to fine lines and wrinkles. This can also lead to a breakdown of collagen, a structural protein that helps your skin look and feel healthy.
A water softener provides numerous benefits that pay for itself over time.
How Does Hard Water Cause Bacterial Growth?
The piping used in home plumbing, whether copper or PVC, does not allow the bacteria to settle and grow. But over time, scaling from the hard water provides a surface for bacteria to grow on, increasing the risk of pathogenic bacteria such as Legionella, which can cause Legionnaire’s Disease.
Lime scale will reduce the flow of water in your plumbing system by clogging pipes. This is particularly a big issue for older homes with steel pipes. Your water pressure can lower over time, possibly requiring a full pipe replacement.
Why Culligan?
The School of Sustainable Engineering at Arizona State University has found that the hard water scaling normally found in the pipes of homes is an active environment for harmful bacteria growth.
How Can You Fix Your Hard Water Issues?
Lucky for you, Culligan of Tulsa offers a variety of products to solve hard water problems. Some of our solutions include water softeners, whole-house filtration systems, and reverse osmosis systems. These products can help remove minerals and impurities from your water, resulting in softer and cleaner water for your home. It gets even better, we offer several ways to save on these solutions!
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