Marion County · Indianapolis–Carmel–Greenwood metro
Plumbing help in Indianapolis, IN
Very Hard WaterOlder Pipes
Indianapolis stands out for how hard its water is. The average is around 19 grains per gallon, with some areas far higher, so scale is behind many local plumbing calls. More than half of the city's homes also predate 1980, bringing older pipe and sewer laterals into the picture.
- Median home built
- 1974
- Built before 1980
- 58%
- Owner-occupied
- 56%
- Water hardness
- Very hard
- ≈ 19 grains/gal
- Winter
- Regular hard freezes
- Plumbing code
- Local
The plumbing calls that come up most in Indianapolis
- Water Softener Installation
At an average near 19 grains per gallon, and up to 27 in places, many households soften to protect water heaters, fixtures and appliances.
- Water Heater Repair
Scale builds quickly in tank heaters, causing rumbling, lost capacity and early failures.
- Sewer Camera Inspection
With most homes built before 1980, older clay and cast iron laterals are common; a camera shows roots, cracks and sags.
Indianapolis's very hard water and your plumbing
Citizens Energy Group reports average hardness of about 317 ppm (19 grains per gallon) for Indianapolis, ranging from 148 to 460 ppm (8.7 to 27 grains per gallon) across its service area. [1]
Emergency plumbing in Indianapolis
Call (833) 878-1592Shut off your main water supply if it's safe to do so. The emergencies below are listed most likely first for Indianapolis homes, based on local conditions.
Indianapolis's 1970s housing and its pipes
The median home in Indianapolis was built in 1974, and 58% of homes predate 1980. Homes from that era were typically built with copper supply, early plastic (ABS or PVC) drains, some cast iron.
- Galvanized steel supply (1900–1960)
- Copper supply (1950–2000)
- Polybutylene (some homes) (1978–1996)
- PEX / CPVC (1995–today)
Frozen pipe risk in Indianapolis
Regular hard freezes · 58% of Indianapolis homes were built before 1980
Plumbing services for Indianapolis homes
Indianapolis plumbing questions
How hard is Indianapolis water?
Very hard. Citizens Energy Group reports an average of about 19 grains per gallon, ranging from about 8.7 to 27 depending on location.
What should I set my water softener to in Indianapolis?
Set it to the hardness at your address, not the city average, because hardness varies widely across the service area. A test kit or your Citizens water quality report gives a starting point.
Sources (2)
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (B25035) · checked 2026-10-01
- Citizens Energy Group, Indianapolis & Morgan County Water Quality · checked 2026-10-01