Water heaters

Local health lab may test for free. Good idea Bill.
It very well could be hardness, pH etc. Ask the lab what they all test for.
I would contact water treatment plant and see what they add to the water.
Also speak to restaurants etc in town, they will be high volume water users and would have to replace heaters as well.
If you have killed that many water heaters in that short of a period of time, I think I would be taking a water sample to have an analysis done on it. My thoughts are that you "city water" is killing the water heaters. Where we live, the city water has a "very" high calcium content. We have put two filter systems in before the water reaches the toilets, sinks, showers and water heater. Even with the filters there is a constant battle to get rid of it.

Thanks! That’s not a bad idea. I’ll look into that tomorrow