Cities whose files cite hard or very hard water — USGS-style hardness as calcium and magnesium, not a health MCL. A salt softener is the box that actually removes it, and only if the sewer allows brine.
Category
aesthetic
EPA status
No EPA primary MCL. USGS classes water as soft (0–60 mg/L as CaCO3), moderately hard (61–120), hard (121–180), and very hard (more than 180).
Typical sources
Dissolved calcium and magnesium from carbonate rock and some surface-water blends. Common in groundwater and in Southwestern city supplies.
What actually fits
Some links are affiliate links. If you buy through one, we may earn a commission. That does not change the match, and it is not a medical claim.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
The list below uses hardness rows and hardnessClass: hard or varies already on city files. Unknown hardness — the opened report did not print grains — is omitted so we do not invent a class.
Cities on file
Only numbers and notes already printed on a city Markdown file. We do not invent a detection to fill this list.
Highest cited numbers on file
Only values already printed on a city file. Sort is the optional numeric field, not a new lab result.
Tucson — Tucson Water classifies the groundwater + Colorado River blend as hard to very hard and says hardness is not a health risk in that description. This file does not invent a single gpg from a third-party scraper. Use the neighborhood dashboard or a titration.
Lathrop — SSJID treated surface water 34 ppm as CaCO3; city wells (raw) 196 ppm (range 164–240). Combined distribution hardness is not printed. 2024 Water Quality Report.
Santa Clarita Valley — SCV Water confirms hardness from calcium and magnesium in groundwater and describes spotting as an aesthetic issue. This file does not invent a grains-per-gallon figure; read the current CCR for your division and test the tap.
Albuquerque — ABCWUA FAQ: since December 2008, treated surface water and groundwater have been blended; hardness ranges from moderately hard to hard depending on sources and blend. Look up your distribution zone. This file does not invent a citywide gpg from a third-party site.