Hard water across Arizona
The Phoenix metro draws on the Salt and Verde rivers, the Colorado River through the Central Arizona Project canal, and groundwater. Tucson relies heavily on recharged Colorado River water and groundwater. Almost everywhere, the water is hard to very hard, which means heavy sediment in tanks, scaled electric elements and tankless heat exchangers that need regular descaling.
- Flush tanks every 6 to 12 months.
- Descale tankless units every 6 to 12 months.
- Check anode rods every three or four years, sooner with a softener.
- Consider a water softener or a scale-prevention filter.
Heat and installation
Most Arizona homes are single-story slab houses with the water heater in the garage, where summer temperatures can pass 110°F. Heat stresses gas valves, plastic parts and electronics, and desert dust clogs combustion air intakes. On the plus side, incoming water is warm much of the year, so heaters rarely struggle to keep up; short hot water is usually a failed part or a tank full of sediment.
Flagstaff is the exception: at nearly 7,000 feet it has real winters, colder incoming water and freeze risks that the desert cities do not.
Licensing, permits and costs
Arizona licenses contractors through the Registrar of Contractors, where you can look up any plumbing contractor. Cities require permits for water heater replacement through their development services departments. Typical repairs run $150 to $650, and a standard gas tank replacement usually costs $1,400 to $3,000. See water heater replacement for details.
Each city page below covers the local water supply, common problems and notes on permits and prices.