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Indianapolis metro water is among the hardest in Indiana.

Citizens Energy Group delivers surface water that's very high in dissolved minerals. Most metro homes need a softener just to protect their appliances and plumbing.

Service in the Indianapolis metro is coming soon. We currently install across Fort Wayne and Northeast Indiana.

19 gpg
Typical hardness, classified "very hard"
~320 ppm
Total dissolved solids from surface sources
5 sources
White River, Fall Creek, Morse, Geist, Eagle Creek
The Indianapolis water story

Where your water comes from, and what that means at the tap.

Citizens Energy Group surface water

Citizens Energy Group supplies the Indianapolis metro. Their sources are the White River, Fall Creek, and three reservoirs, Morse, Geist, and Eagle Creek, all surface water that picks up dissolved minerals as it moves through Indiana's limestone-rich geology.

Citizens treats the water to meet every EPA safety standard. What they do not do is remove hardness. Dissolved calcium and magnesium are not a health violation, so they pass right through the treatment plant and into your home at the same concentration they left the ground at.

19 gpg, what that number actually means

Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon. The scale goes: soft (below 1 gpg), slightly hard (1 to 3.5), moderately hard (3.5 to 7), hard (7 to 10.5), very hard (above 10.5). At roughly 19 gpg, Indianapolis metro water sits well into the very-hard range, higher than most major cities.

That means scale builds faster in water heaters, dishwashers, and coffee makers. It means soap and detergent do not lather well, and you use more of them. It means spots on dishes, dry skin and hair after showers, and shortened appliance life.

The good news: hardness is the easiest water problem to fix. A softener removes calcium and magnesium through ion exchange, and every downstream problem goes with it.

Chlorine taste and odor

Municipal disinfection keeps the water safe, but it can affect taste and odor at the tap. Carbon filtration addresses this at the point of entry, treating the water before it reaches your faucets.

Our whole-home system pairs carbon filtration with softening so every tap in the house gets treated water. The RO unit at the kitchen sink adds a final filtration stage for drinking and cooking water.

What hard water does

The real-world effects in an Indianapolis home.

Appliance damage

Scale deposits inside water heaters and dishwashers cut efficiency and shorten service life. Hard water is one of the leading causes of early appliance replacement in Indiana homes.

Pipe scale buildup

Over years, scale narrows pipes and reduces pressure. Showerheads and aerators clog faster. Fixtures show white mineral deposits even right after cleaning.

Skin and hair

Hardness minerals react with soap to leave a film that clogs pores and dulls hair. Most homeowners with soft water notice the difference in the first shower.

How we approach it

Assessment first, then the right system for your home.

We pull the Citizens Energy Group data for your zip code, review it with you on one call, and give you an honest recommendation. No in-home sales visit, no upsell, no mystery pricing.

Free Water Assessment. One call, your actual data, a straight answer. Get started here.
Common questions

Indianapolis homeowner FAQ

Why is Indianapolis water so hard?

Citizens Energy Group draws surface water from the White River, Fall Creek, and Morse and Geist reservoirs. Indiana limestone bedrock dissolves into the water supply, producing some of the highest hardness levels in the state, around 320 ppm (19 gpg) for most metro homes.

Does Citizens Energy Group treat for hardness?

No. Citizens Energy Group treats for safety. They meet all EPA standards, but hardness minerals are not a health violation, so they are not removed at the plant. What comes out of your tap is what arrived from the source: very hard water.

What does hard water actually do to my home?

Scale builds inside pipes, water heaters, and dishwashers. Soap and shampoo lather poorly. Dishes spot. Skin and hair feel dry. Appliance lifespans shorten. A softener removes hardness minerals and reverses all of these effects.

How much does a system cost for an Indianapolis home?

Our flagship bundle covers a standard city-water home at one all-in installed price, taxes included. We give you a complete price before any work starts.

Know what your home actually needs.

Free assessment, one call, no in-home sales visit. We pull your supply data and give you a straight answer.