SwiftPro Heating, Cooling and Plumbing(571) 396-0299

How hard is the water in Alexandria?

The water in Alexandria ran 4.6 to 11.2 grains per gallon in 2025, according to Virginia American Water. That's moderately hard to very hard. Water like that leaves sediment in a tank water heater, so flush it once a year. A SwiftPro flush is $99, normally $199.

The water in Alexandria, by the numbers

Water utilityVirginia American Water
Hardness4.6 to 11.2 grains per gallon2025
What that isModerately hard to very hardU.S. Geological Survey classes
ZIP codes22301, 22302, 22303, 22304, 22305, 22306, 22307, 22308, 22309, 22310, 22311, 22312, 22314, 22315
How oftenFlush a tank once a yearDescale a tankless yearly too

Source: Virginia American Water water quality report; U.S. Geological Survey, Hardness of Water.

What it means for your water heater

Hard water carries calcium and magnesium. Heat a tank of it and some drops out as sediment on the bottom, under the burner or the lower element. That's what makes a water heater rumble and pop, take longer to recover and wear out early. Flushing it once a year clears it out.

  • Popping or rumbling while it heats. That is water boiling under a layer of sediment.
  • Grit in the faucet screens on the hot side.
  • A drain valve nobody has opened since the house was sold.

A tankless gets descaled instead. Navien's manual calls for it once a year wherever the water runs 4 grains per gallon or harder with no softener, and the water in Alexandria does. Descaling is $300, regularly $350.

More on the flush in Alexandria on SwiftPro's Alexandria water heater flush page.

The rest of the water in Alexandria

Hardness is one line of Virginia American Water's testing. The full Virginia American Water water report shows every contaminant it found, next to the legal limit and the health guideline. On a private well, a test at your own tap is the number that counts.

Nearby towns

Questions people ask

Is Alexandria water hard?
Yes, moderately hard to very hard. Virginia American Water reported 4.6 to 11.2 grains per gallon in 2025. The U.S. Geological Survey calls anything over 7 grains per gallon hard.
How often should I flush my water heater in Alexandria?
Once a year for a tank. A tankless gets descaled once a year too, because the water in Alexandria is over Navien's 4 grains per gallon line.
How much is a water heater flush in Alexandria?
$99 at SwiftPro, normally $199, with the plumbing safety check included. Tankless descaling is $300, regularly $350. You pay after the visit.

Get it flushed for $99.

Normally $199, with the plumbing safety check included. Tankless descaling is $300, regularly $350. Pick a time online, and you pay after the visit.

Pick a timeCall (571) 396-0299