My guess is that there isn't that much water in there, depending on the typy you have. You could look at the water valve to see where the line exits and disconnect the line going up to the icemaker. Then let it drain into a pan.

The wild discrepancy in hardness numbers from the two reps you have seen so far is precisely why you need your own independent water test from a reputable lab. Your state's web site should have a list of certified water labs from which to choose. You want to know: pH, TDS, hardness, iron, manganese, sulfates, nitrates, VOC, bacteria, and any other items recommended or required by your state - different areas have different issues and concerns so will make somewhat different testing recommendations. If you take a look at a sample of the water in a clear glass container, does it have any color?, odor, particulates? Once you have that information, I can make a recommendation. Until that time, nobody can make a reliable recommendation. All of the vendors you have spoken to so far use proprietary equipment. This generally means more expense up front and more expense if repairs are ever necessary. I prefer something industry standard with readily available parts. However, of those above, Kinetico has a very good reputation for quality and reliability - that reputation does come at a premium price.

brickeyee - thanks for the reply. Actually, the water line is connected to a copper tube with the cutoff valve under the sink, as you mention. It's the plastic water line running across the top of the dishwasher, (with the weight of granite on it) that is worrying me. Are you suggesting that he run a copper tube in back of the dishwasher? The under-sink setup looks right to me. It's the routing on top of the dishwasher that looks precarious. Ideas?

Wire Art Danglers & Suncatchers ~ Wire and Gauge Wire art - Also known as dangles, danglies, danglers, doodads, spirals, suncatchers, thingies, and wire widgets - can hung from a tree branch, a hook, perched in a flower pot, or stuck in the ground depending, of course, on your individual tastes. Wire - The wire of choice among the Garden Junk members seems to be copper as it's very flexible, however, any color or type of wire can be used. TIP: The warmer the weather, the easier it is to work with copper wire. Gauge - The lower the number, the thicker the wire. Most members are using an 8-10 gauge wire which is thick enough to hold it's shape, but yet still thin enough to be pliable and easy to bend. In general, gauges run from 4-24 (thick to thin). TIP: Use thicker wire for weight-bearing projects (like plant hooks or bird feeder/bath hangers) and as stakes for pot/garden decorations. Use finer wire for wrapping marbles and other trinkets, and for making detailed twists and turns. Notes from our members: CMWren recommends: Bare copper wire* from electric department of hardware store; sold by the foot as "grounding wire" and such, comes in various gauges (thicknesses) and "bundled" sizes made up of 7 small gauge wires twisted together (easy to separate for use). The thicker the wire, the lower the gauge number; 4 is very thick, 18 is thin. *1/4" OD (outer diameter) copper tubing, used for water lines to refrigerators and ice makers, is too large to twist into tight curves around marbles and such without pinching the tube. It can still be bent carefully by hand, however (and a tool is also available for this), and is good for making large designs. You can buy it in 10', 20' and 50' lengths in the plumbing department of a hardware store. From littlechloe: I think 20 gauge is fine, I usually use 18 or 20 for hanging things because it will fit through many types of beads and is easy to work into different shapes/spirals, wrap around half marbles or shells, or make into names or words (I made name hangies for my next door neighbor kids/pets - they love them and hung them in the front yard). Lower gauge is more difficult to work with but stronger if you are making stakes for beds or pots. (TIPS provided by Member CMWren) Image by: sonicsink Wire Art by sonicsink