Water Softener in Suitland, MD

Is Suitland's water hard enough to bother?

WSSC Water treats water from the Potomac River and from reservoirs on the Patuxent River at two filtration plants. Its annual water quality report does not publish a hardness number for Suitland or say which plant reaches a given street, so the dependable answer comes from testing cold water at your kitchen faucet. Plenty of households live comfortably without a softener. Others want one because shower glass and fixtures scale up quickly, or because they are installing a tankless heater whose heat exchanger is sensitive to mineral buildup.

Does a softener make sense with older plumbing?

Suitland grew fast after federal offices arrived during World War II, and its median home was built around 1973, so many houses still have original supply and drain piping. A softener will not repair corroded galvanized pipe or fix low pressure caused by narrowed lines. If pressure is already weak, a plumber may suggest checking the supply piping first, since adding a softener and bypass to a restricted line can make the problem more noticeable. In some homes the better first spend is replacing a short run of old pipe near the main, then adding the softener once flow is healthy. Garden apartments and duplexes may also have shared mains, which limits where a unit can go, so check with the building owner or association before planning one. Where the piping is sound, the main shutoff in a basement or utility room is the natural place for the unit, with a drain nearby for the regeneration cycle that goes to WSSC's sewer.

Who signs off on the work?

In Prince George's County, WSSC Water rather than the county permits and inspects plumbing, and most plumbing work must be done by a plumber registered with WSSC. Replacing an existing softener in place is routine. A new install that reroutes the main is worth checking with WSSC Permit Services through the plumber before work begins.

One Suitland note

If the softener starts leaking or cycling nonstop, put it in bypass so the rest of the house keeps water. For a break on the utility side of the meter, WSSC takes water and sewer emergencies at 301-206-4002.