Greenbelt is on WSSC Water, and WSSC's tap analysis shows water from its Potomac plant averaging about 140 mg/L of hardness, roughly 8 grains per gallon, while Patuxent plant water averages about 64 mg/L, under 4 grains. Which plant reaches your address varies, so a tap test tells you whether a softener is worth it. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Greenbelt.
What happens when you call
You'll be connected with an independent plumber who works in Greenbelt. Expect questions about what you are noticing (scale, spotting, a noisy heater), how many people live in the home, whether you have a tank or tankless water heater, and whether a softener is already in place. In a co-op unit or townhouse in Old Greenbelt, mention any building rules about plumbing changes. The plumber may test your water on the first visit before recommending a unit.
Cost factors
- Your hardness reading, which can land near the Patuxent average or the much harder Potomac average
- Household size and daily water use, which set resin capacity and salt use
- Space near the main: Greenbelt's older homes and townhouses can be tight
- A drain within reach for the regeneration line, with an air gap
- Pipe material at the tie-in and any rework needed
- Haul-away of an old unit and any add-on carbon filter
Greenbelt conditions
WSSC Water treats Potomac River water at one plant and Patuxent water from the Triadelphia and T. Howard Duckett reservoirs at another. Its tap analysis lists Potomac plant water averaging 140 mg/L, with a range of 62 to 199, and Patuxent plant water averaging 64 mg/L, with a range of 51 to 198. That spread is the reason two Greenbelt neighbors can reach different conclusions. At the lower figure, a softener is mostly about comfort; at the higher one, scale on fixtures and inside heaters becomes noticeable.
WSSC disinfects with chlorine rather than chloramine. A softener leaves chlorine alone, so taste is a separate job for a carbon filter. The city's median home was built around 1976, and many hold original plumbing from the 1930s through the 1970s, which is worth a look when cutting a softener into the main.
Greenbelt also has its own permit layer: projects that need a Prince George's County building permit must be permitted by the City too, while plumbing permits come from WSSC. A typical softener install is a plumbing matter, and the plumber can confirm with WSSC whether a permit applies.
Before the plumber arrives
- Clear the area around the main shutoff and water heater
- Have a hardness reading ready if you tested
- Find the nearest floor drain or laundry standpipe
- Note the model of any existing softener
Water Softeners & Filtration questions in Greenbelt
How do I convert mg/L of hardness into grains per gallon?
How hard is the water at my address?
What hardness setting should the softener be programmed with?
Where is a softener usually installed?
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