So I was looking somewhere (Reddit?) and the question about water was brought up due to the rail disaster in NE OH. Somebody commented that Athens water is from deep wells out in the country, 30-60 feet deep from a sand and gravel aquifer then goes to a purification plant like anywhere else but water softening is part of the process.

Hard water is really bad for appliances (washer, dish washer, coffee maker, etc) thus I was wondering if anybody has noticed that the tap water is indeed softened and has then shown a benefit in things like not having to de-scale the coffee maker all the time? Like the Coffee Ninja brand that was the most annoying thing I've ever owned. I'm still in a hard water area and replaced it with a Bunn Speed Brew and switched from tap to distilled water to make coffee. So far, so good.

Yes, Athens water is softened. When I was a kid, it was not and the water was very hard. Lots of folks, including my parents, put in water softeners in their own homes. Culligan also did a land office business. I think it was late 1960s or early 1970s when the city began softening the water. I could be off on those dates, as I didn't live in Athens from 1970 until I returned in 1978, but I did visit often.

Seven years ago this was an alley oop pass... LOL.

Athens water may be softened, but it is still hard at the tap. Municipal suppliers can only do so much before costs become prohibitive and softened water usually tastes awful.

I installed a softener for athletic training to help with scale buildup in the therapy tubs. It's probably due for service by now.

Good info there. If I move back, I'll stock up on distilled for the coffee pot.

I suppose softened is a relative term, but it’s much softer now than before the city started their softening program. When I was a kid, before my parents installed their home softener, you could not ever get soap to lather at all. It would just kind of flake off the bar. And, there would be scum rings around the tub drain after one bath or shower. I’m not a chemist, and I can’t give you an exact index of softness circa 1950s, early ‘60s versus now, but it has to a considerably different number.

Definitely softer than water out in the county. Pete, some areas of campus draw water from other places, and it's very hard, that is why all the bricks are stained.