Local, veteran-owned water treatment for every San Diego neighborhood, from La Jolla to Chula Vista.
San Diego tap water runs about 12.6 to 13.4 grains per gallon of hardness (City of San Diego 2024 report) and is disinfected with chloramine. Pure Coast installs whole home water softeners, carbon filtration, salt-free conditioners and reverse osmosis for San Diego homes, starting with a free in-home water test. Local techs, open 7 days, most installs in one visit, with a lifetime limited warranty.
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Our systems
Water Treatment Systems for San Diego Homes
Five ways to fix San Diego water, from a complete whole home system to drinking water only. Pick one to start, and we'll confirm the right fit at your free in-home water test.
Best value
Whole-House Water Softeners + Filtration
Clack USA-made valve, built with catalytic carbon
Dealer $7,000+Starts at$1,995You save $5,000+
What's included with the whole-house water softener and filtration
Clack control valve, made in the USA
Built with catalytic carbon filtration
Removes calcium and magnesium, the cause of hard water scale
San Diego Water Quality: What's Really in Your Tap Water
Most of San Diego's water is imported from the Colorado River and Northern California, then treated and disinfected with chloramine before it reaches your home. It meets legal standards, but it arrives very hard and carries disinfection byproducts that affect how it tastes, feels and treats your plumbing.
12.6-13.4gpg
City plant hardness in 2024
479-526ppm
Dissolved solids, Alvarado and Miramar
14above
EWG guidelines, city system
Contaminants above EWG health guidelines in City of San Diego water, and what removes them
Contaminant
Carbon stage
RO faucet
Pure Coast system
Bromate
Bromodichloromethane
Bromoform
Chlorite
Chloroform
Chromium-6 (hexavalent)
Dibromoacetic acid
Dibromochloromethane
Dichloroacetic acid
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Haloacetic acids (HAA9)
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Trichloroacetic acid
Uranium
Sources: EWG Tap Water Database, City of San Diego (PWS CA3710020), 33 contaminants detected and 14 above EWG guidelines, 2013 to 2023 data; and the City of San Diego 2024 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report (hardness 216 mg/L at the Alvarado plant and 229 mg/L at Miramar, about 12.6 and 13.4 grains per gallon; TDS 479 and 526 ppm; chloramine averaging 1.73 ppm in the pipes). All results were below state and federal legal limits; EWG health guidelines are stricter, health-based goals. Contaminants marked for the RO faucet are reduced in your drinking and cooking water at the kitchen sink.
Local service
Serving Every San Diego Neighborhood, From the Coast to the Mesas
Our techs live and work in San Diego. We schedule free water tests 7 days a week, 8am to 6pm, across the city.
Tap a pin to book in that neighborhood
Find Your San Diego Neighborhood
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Starting price for most homes. Your exact price is confirmed in writing after your free water test. See our terms.
Included in your price
Free in-home water test
Mixed bed water softener with catalytic carbon, sized to your home
Removes hardness, chlorine and chloramine
8-stage reverse osmosis drinking water faucet
Professional installation, usually one visit
Lifetime limited warranty on the whole home system
Softening and soap savings
Hard Water Savings Calculator for San Diego Households
Scale on your water heater and appliances, extra soap and bottled water all add up. Slide to match your home and see what you lose each year, and how fast a Pure Coast system pays it back.
Your Home's Hard Water Spending
Slide each one to match what your home spends.
Cases, delivery jugs and refill stations. The included RO faucet replaces them.
Lost heater efficiency, shorter appliance life, clogged fixtures and repair calls.
Soft water cuts detergent and soap use by about half.
What a San Diego Home Spends vs. Saves, Year by Year
Built from your sliders above. The blue line is everything you spend: the $3,399 system plus salt and RO filters every year. The green bars are what you stop wasting. Once the bars pass the line, the system has paid for itself.
Total savingsSystem + upkeep cost
Saved by year 20
$14,000
Spent, incl. upkeep
$6,399
Money in your pocket
$7,601
Pays for itself
Year 6
Tap any year on the chart to see its numbers. Upkeep uses about $70 a year in softener salt and about $80 a year in RO filters.
The Research Behind These Numbers
Independent studies, not sales math
Lower Water Heater Bills
Battelle: tank water heaters lose about 4% efficiency for every 5 grains of hardness. Soft water also lets you wash in cold water.
Longer-Lasting Appliances
In Battelle tests, tankless heaters failed from scale in 1.6 years on 26 gpg water. Dishwashers and washers last longer without it.
Clear Faucets and Showerheads
Battelle: showerheads on hard water lost 75% of their flow in under 18 months of use.
Fewer Plumbing Repairs
Less scale inside pipes, valves and toilet parts means fewer repair calls and descaling jobs.
Half the Soap and Detergent
WQRF study: soft water cut laundry and dishwasher detergent by 50% or more in very hard water.
No More Bottled Water
Americans drink 47.3 gallons of bottled water per person each year. The included 8-stage RO faucet replaces it.
How we estimate this: starting values reflect a home that buys bottled water each month, before price increases. Payback divides the $3,399 system by your yearly cost minus about $150 a year in salt and RO filters, so it matches the chart. Appliance loss uses Battelle research for the Water Quality Research Foundation. Soap uses WQRF's 50% detergent reduction. Bottled water is replaced by the included reverse osmosis faucet. The chart's cost line adds about $70 a year in softener salt and $80 a year in RO filters to the $3,399 Mixed Bed Water Softener with Catalytic Carbon + 8 Stage Reverse Osmosis. Your results depend on your home, water use and local rates. Sources: Battelle Memorial Institute for WQRF (2009 to 2010); Scientific Services S/D for WQRF (2011); Beverage Marketing Corporation (2024).
San Diego FAQs
San Diego Water Questions, Answered Locally
Is San Diego tap water hard?
Yes. The City of San Diego's 2024 water quality report shows 216 mg/L of hardness at its Alvarado plant and 229 mg/L at Miramar, about 12.6 to 13.4 grains per gallon. That is rated very hard. Much of the water is imported from the Colorado River, which carries a heavy load of calcium and magnesium.
Is San Diego tap water safe to drink?
City of San Diego water meets state and federal standards. It still contains chloramine and disinfection byproducts, and EWG's database lists 14 contaminants above its health guidelines, including chromium-6, bromate and haloacetic acids. Our included 8-stage reverse osmosis faucet reduces these in your drinking water.
Does San Diego use chlorine or chloramine?
The City of San Diego disinfects its water with chloramine, a mix of chlorine and ammonia. It lasts longer in the pipes and is harder to remove than chlorine, which is why our systems use catalytic carbon instead of standard carbon.
Do I need a water softener in San Diego?
If you see white crust on faucets, spots on dishes and glass, or dry skin and hair, your water's hardness is the cause. A softener removes those minerals and protects your water heater and appliances. Your free water test shows your exact hardness.
Which San Diego neighborhoods do you serve?
All of them, from La Jolla, Pacific Beach and Point Loma to North Park, Mission Valley, Clairemont, Mira Mesa and Rancho Bernardo, plus a 90-mile radius that includes Chula Vista, Carlsbad, Escondido and Temecula.
How soon can you test my water?
We call back within 24 hours and schedule free water tests 7 days a week, 8am to 6pm. Many San Diego homeowners get tested within a few days of reaching out.
I live in a condo. Can I still get a system?
Usually, yes. For tight spaces or HOA rules, a compact softener or a salt-free conditioner with no drain line often fits. We'll confirm what works for your building during the free test.
What does water treatment cost for a San Diego home?
Our whole-house water softener with catalytic carbon filtration starts at $1,995. Add an 8-stage reverse osmosis drinking water system from $350. Through November 30, whole home water systems start at $1,995, or from $30 a month with financing on approved credit. Prices are for the equipment; professional installation is quoted separately at your free water consultation.
Sales tax is calculated at checkout from your shipping address. Professional installation in Southern California is quoted separately at your free water test.
