The City of Falls Church gets its water from Fairfax Water, which took over the former City water utility. Fairfax Water's plant analyses show total hardness of about 70 to 185 mg/L from the Potomac, and some of its customers get Washington Aqueduct water instead. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Falls Church.
Falls Church in brief
Falls Church is a small independent city about eight miles from downtown Washington, with a median home built around 1971. Its old City water utility, which also served much of eastern Fairfax County, now belongs to Fairfax Water. The City still runs its own sewer system. Falls Church mailing addresses spill into Fairfax and Arlington counties, so check whether your home is inside city limits before calling about permits.
What to do now
- Measure hardness. Some Fairfax Water customers get water from its own Potomac and Occoquan plants and some from the Washington Aqueduct. A tap test tells you which range you're in.
- Look for damage already done. Scale on aerators, a noisy water heater and spotty glassware all point the same way.
- Check the main valve. In a house from around 1971, the shutoff may be stiff or leaky.
- Measure the space. A resin tank and brine tank side by side need floor space near the main, plus a drain and an outlet.
- Separate taste from hardness. Fairfax Water uses chloramines most of the year and free chlorine about April through June; only a carbon filter changes that taste.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Scale returns quickly after cleaning | Moderately hard to hard supply with no softening |
| Softened water feels slippery but spots remain | Hardness set below the actual reading |
| Softener alarm or blank display | Power loss reset the clock or a failed board |
| Hissing from the drain line | Valve stuck in a regeneration position |
| Muddy brine tank | Low-purity salt leaving residue |
Cost factors
The size of the unit, the condition of the valves around the main, and the distance to a drain set most of the price. Older Falls Church houses often need a new shutoff or a short section of pipe replaced when the softener goes in. Adding carbon filtration or a drinking water unit adds equipment and a little labor. Inside city limits, permits go through the City of Falls Church Department of Code Administration; Falls Church addresses outside the city are handled by Fairfax County or Arlington County. Regeneration water joins the rest of the house's wastewater in the City's sewer system, which the City operates and maintains up to the private lateral.
Water Softeners & Filtration questions in Falls Church
How hard is the tap water at my address?
Do I need a permit to put in a water softener?
How often does a softener need salt and service?
Is a salt-free conditioner a real alternative?
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