Oh, if it's stuck to pipe/valve surfaces (not loose sediment or silt) that's mostly likely scale, which means yes, you've got hard water.

Wait, sediment or scale? If it's sediment, you can get basic whole-house sediment filters that are a lot simpler than water softeners.

Hmm, well, there's already a Safeway just a short walk further west along Wilson Blvd. It's full-sized, and because of its age I suspect it's on land that the corporation or franchisee actually owns. I can't imagine they'd move such a short distance, only for a smaller piece of real estate that they'd then be leasing. But... ¯\(ツ)/¯

> My guess is Amazon Fresh…

Based on a paragraph in the article you posted, I don't think that's it:

> Insight’s attorney, Andrew Painter, says the unnamed grocer required the left turn based on “decades of experience in urban configurations.” He added that for a decade, the grocer has desired to be in Ballston, which already has a Harris Teeter nearby on N. Glebe Road, a quarter-mile away.

Amazon Fresh hasn't been around for decades.

Philosophy is a gateway drug, man! Before you know it, you're whiling away your days watching kitten videos on YouTube.

I remember there was a small but vocal group pushing for the silver line to have three tracks (to enable 24hr service), but they were hushed by others who pointed out the whole line could already be cancelled due to projected construction costs.