Arizona’s hard water can leave a bad taste in people’s mouth, not to mention spots on their glassware.

But there’s an answer to the problem, and for 18 years Fountain Hills resident Mark Kunkel has been helping people find a solution with Builders Choice Water Conditioning.

Because of excessive hardness, says Kunkel, Arizona is the second largest consumer of bottled water in the United States.

Mark Kunkel of Builders Choice Water Conditioning offers a wide variety of choices in water conditioning systems.

Extremely hard water is measured as 10.5 grains. Fountain Hills’ water, says Kunkel, is on average between 18-22.

While Fountain Hills is no different than other parts of the Valley, the hardness can wreak havoc on pipes, clogging or causing a “hardening of the arteries,” says Kunkel.

Arizona’s water supplies contain high amounts of minerals known to form a scale that creates problems in water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, coffee makers, humidifiers as well as the plumbing system.

Builders Choice Water Conditioning offers a wide array of home water conditioning systems that add longer life to these appliances as well as reducing energy costs to heat water by up to 21 percent.

Systems also protect plumbing by preventing the build up of scale, conserve laundry detergent by delivering washing power and reducing detergent requirements by up to 70 percent, says Kunkel.

Then there are the more aesthetic benefits -- no spots on glassware and dishes and a good taste.

Kunkel not only works with homeowners, but also is working to increase his work with local builders.

He already partners with many top name Valley homebuilders.

Kunkel consults with the homeowner and homebuilder, making sure each system is designed to meet their specialized needs.

Most homebuilders pre-plumb a soft water loop in the garage. The loop provides convenient installation of the water treatment system and reduces the installation cost by hundreds of dollars, says Kunkel.

By consulting with the client at the design stage of a project, Builders Choice can provide the expertise to the builder or homeowner that allows them to make informed decisions about their water treatment needs.

Kunkel says he is dedicated to providing customers with high quality, cost-effective water treatment.

Drinking water is purified by reverse osmosis, a process where tap water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane, leaving unwanted substances behind and creating pure water from the tap that tastes clean.

Some water treatment companies install a reverse osmosis system at each site where purified drinking water is desired. The duplication of systems can dramatically increase the costs of installation, says Kunkel.

Builders Choice Water Condition offers customers a centralized water treatment system, eliminating the need for multiple purification systems.

The centralized system can feed quality water to sinks, refrigerators, icemakers and wet bars on the patio.

Builders Choice Water Conditions was founded, says Kunkel, on the principle of providing homeowners and homebuilders a high-quality, cost effective alternative when selecting a water treatment company.

While some water treatment companies rely on out-of-state manufactures for equipment and parts, which can increase costs and installation lead times to customers, Builders Choice does not.

They help reduce the cost and delays by purchasing equipment and materials from a company in Gilbert with more than 50 years of experience in meeting the specific challenges of Arizona’s hard water.

Builders Choice also features the entire line of high-quality Ultima water treatment products manufactured by the Gilbert company.

For more information or to schedule an appointment call 837-4411.