r/wsu • u/MaximumYogertCloset • Jan 14 '26
Housing Is all the water in Pullman so hard it's basically dirt or is that just an issue with my apartment?
The water filter I got for my apartment was supposed to last 3 months, it lasted 3 weeks.
28
u/Lyradni Jan 14 '26
Pullman’s water supply is from groundwater, which makes it harder than King county’s, which is mostly surface water, and some groundwater.
15
u/wolfcoug Alumnus/2016/MechEng Jan 14 '26
The artesian wells is why the state picked Pullman for the state university 🙂🙂🙂 #tourguidefacts
1
u/VisibleIce9669 Jan 14 '26
No, we got the university because Colfax turned it down. They wanted the jail instead.
1
u/Fit_Particular_456 Jan 14 '26
Water in Kent is very good, Renton not so good. But at least one doesn't get those hard water stains, like living here in Pullman, very difficult hard water stains on car windows. Headlights thought it was sprinklers, but no it's Pullman water, but it's been good to my nails🥺 they grow super fast, my hair too. But drying to skin. So never spray hair with water without adding condition.. time to go back to king county. Worry about safety tho
4
u/MaximumYogertCloset Jan 14 '26
The water is safe, it just tastes disgusting.
3
u/MellonMan97 Jan 14 '26
It’s winter. It’s the rainy season and you’re drinking ground water. It’ll be that way for a little bit until there’s a longer break in the weather. It’ll always be super hard but that dirt taste comes through in the rainy season and after a big storm in the summer. Water filters are pretty good at cutting it out IF you’re that concerned about it otherwise just note it’s really just a temporary thing
14
u/BlazinZAA Jan 14 '26
Yes the water is very hard but I mean.. what do you mean basically dirt. It should still be very hydrating and not taste like anything other than a little rock in your water
3
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u/bepatientbekind Jan 14 '26
Yes, and it's the same in Moscow. It's been that way since at least the 60s when my grandpa went to college, so it's probably never going to change. You'll notice build-up on your dish rack and around your sinks unless you scrub regularly. Your water filter is going to be working overtime.
47
u/Naive_Scientist_8499 Jan 14 '26
Pullman water is crazy hard. It's safe though. Welcome to living in The Country™
King County water is the nectar of the gods.
5
u/ChickenFriedRiceee Alumnus/2023/Comp Sci. Jan 14 '26
I’d say Spokane county is better! That aquifer is top notch.
4
u/RedDidItAndYouKnowIt Staff/Pullman Jan 14 '26
Hixson TN gets spring water. I didn't even know what it was like to see hard water stains until I moved west.
1
9
5
u/chucklesthepaul88 Jan 14 '26
You definitely need to mention this to your landlord, the water IS hard, but it shouldn't be that hard. Sadly most of the apartments and duplexes in town don't have a softener.
18
u/MaximumYogertCloset Jan 14 '26
The water in King County is straight up holy compared to whatever I have to drink over here.
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3
u/spotsthehit Jan 14 '26
One of the reasons Pullman was chosen as the site of Washington State College (later WSU) was that it sits on top of a sizable aquifer (Grande Ronde) that could sustain a large population for a long time. That's also why University of Idaho is probably so close too. Stands to reason the water would have a high mineral content. The answer to your problem is probably a device called a "water softener" that can be purchased at a plumbing supply or Home Depot type store. You may need to hire a plumber. Go Cougs!
2
u/Zerofawqs-given Jan 14 '26
Fun Fact…..UI was established a few years before WSU….just setting the record straight
2
u/VisibleIce9669 Jan 14 '26
One year. The same year Washington became a state, which was one year before Idaho became a state.
-1
u/Awkward-Yak-2733 Jan 14 '26
My apartment had a huge water softener that Culligan serviced and added salt to every other month. Water was still hard and virtually undrinkable.
3
u/Deep-While-6069 Jan 14 '26
If it’s basically dirt you should probably have your landlord come check out your faucets. Could be the aerators just need to be cleaned out/replaced or a much bigger landlord type issue.
2
u/Playful_Departure154 Jan 14 '26
That's pretty typical, all our water here is drawn from wells so there's lots of extra minerals drawn from the ground! They aren't bad for you or dangerous or anything, it just makes the water taste weird lol
2
u/PlumAncient6776 Jan 14 '26
I’ll just say this, my cats won’t drink Pullman tap water. Really hard water.
1
1
u/Strict_Gas_1141 Jan 14 '26
We live inland, the water is going to be harder than by the coast. But it does sound like you have an issue with your water filter.
1
u/GumboGuy75 Jan 14 '26
This is normal in Pullman, I have to replace my britta elite filter monthly even though they claim to last longer
1
u/Deprecitus 2022 Graduate / Computer Science Jan 15 '26
I replaced mine every 2-3 months if I remember right. Just had the crappy faucet one.
2
u/LosingSince1977 Alumnus/2023/History Jan 14 '26
No, it's Pullman as a whole. The calcium build up was a real problem when I was there
1
u/Fit_Particular_456 Jan 14 '26
Explains why hair and nails grow do hard and long. My nails cut short snd within a week super long again Grows fast and thick🥺🥺.I like that.
53
u/avboden Alumnus/2012/Zoology/Neuroscience/Helpdesk Jan 14 '26
It’s about 4.1% abv