Hardness
Hard
159.5 PPM · 9.3 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in Apalachicola, FL 32320
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Franklin County.
1 reported benchmark flag
- Primary matched system
- Apalachicola, City Of
- Source water
- Groundwater
- County
- Franklin County
- Profile updated
At a glance
What the current records say
EPA quarter 2026Q2
Compliance screen
No active flag
0 active health-based records
Lead 90th percentile
0.003 mg/L
20% of action level
Utility match
1 system
Serves 5,235 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
159.5 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
159.5
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
9.3
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 159.5 PPM, mineral scale can build up on fixtures and heating elements, reduce soap lather, and leave visible spotting. Hardness is primarily an aesthetic and appliance concern—not itself a tap-water safety rating.
USGS sites used
2
Nearest site
50.6 mi
Observation range
Sep 17, 2025–Jan 13, 2026
Estimate confidence
Low
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: WAKULLA WELL NO. 2 AAA7843 (Well).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 32320 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
Apalachicola median
160 PPM
About the same1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 159.5–159.5 PPM
Florida median
280 PPM
120 PPM lower602 indexed ZIP readings · Range 20–374.5 PPM
EPA benchmark screen
Contaminant snapshot
Available numerical results from associated SDWIS community water systems, compared with the applicable action level or federal MCL. Federal measured-value coverage is incomplete.
1 pass1 fail
Lead (PB90)
0.003 mg/L
Reported Dec 1, 2023
Copper (CU90)
Not available
No numerical 90th-percentile result
Numerical coverage
2 comparable results
Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.
Lead (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 0.003
EPA limit 0.015
TTHM
Measured in UG/L
Local 87.35
EPA limit 0.08
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 18
- Health-based
- 6
- Active health-based
- 0
| Contaminant or rule | System | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. COLI | FL1190150 | Resolved | May 1, 2024through May 31, 2024 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | FL1190150 | Resolved | May 1, 2024through May 31, 2024 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | FL1190150 | Archived | Apr 1, 2022through Jun 30, 2022 |
| TTHM | FL1190150 | Archived | Apr 1, 2022through Jun 30, 2022 |
| TTHMHealth-basedReported 87.35 UG/L · MCL 0.08 | FL1190150 | Archived | Apr 1, 2022through Jun 30, 2022 |
| TTHMHealth-basedReported 83.94 UG/L · MCL 0.08 | FL1190150 | Archived | Jan 1, 2022through Mar 31, 2022 |
| Nitrate | FL1190150 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2022through Dec 31, 2022 |
| TTHMHealth-basedReported 87.58 UG/L · MCL 0.08 | FL1190150 | Resolved | Oct 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| TTHMHealth-basedReported 91.02 UG/L · MCL 0.08 | FL1190150 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2021through Sep 30, 2021 |
| E. COLI | FL1190150 | Resolved | May 1, 2021through May 31, 2021 |
| TTHM | FL1190150 | Resolved | Apr 1, 2021through Jun 30, 2021 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | FL1190150 | Resolved | Apr 1, 2021through Jun 30, 2021 |
| TTHMHealth-basedReported 107.75 UG/L · MCL 0.08 | FL1190150 | Resolved | Apr 1, 2021through Jun 30, 2021 |
| TTHM | FL1190150 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Mar 31, 2021 |
| Nitrate | FL1190150 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| TTHMHealth-basedReported 100.2648 UG/L · MCL 0.08 | FL1190150 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Mar 31, 2021 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | FL1190150 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Mar 31, 2021 |
| Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule | FL1190150 | Addressed | Jul 2, 2010 |
No reported violation does not prove that every contaminant was tested or absent; SDWIS measured values are incomplete and lag state records.
Solutions matcher
Your personalized water action plan
Matched to Apalachicola ZIP 32320 using 159.5 PPM nearby hardness and 2 reported measurement benchmarks.
Scale protection
High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener
159.5 PPM is 1× the high-hardness trigger used by this matcher.
Designed to reduce scale on fixtures, water heaters, glassware, and plumbing throughout the home.
Compare whole-house systemsDrinking water protection
Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis System
TTHM has a measured benchmark flag or active health-based SDWIS record in this profile.
A certified multi-stage RO system targets a broader range of dissolved contaminants at the kitchen tap.
Explore under-sink filtrationAffiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases, at no added cost to you. Product matching is educational and does not replace certified water testing.
Frequently asked
Water questions for Apalachicola
Is tap water safe in Apalachicola?+
EPA ECHO shows no active health-based violation for the associated systems in this reporting snapshot. This does not prove every contaminant is absent; federal records can lag and household plumbing can change tap conditions.
How hard is the water?+
Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 159.5 PPM, or 9.3 grains per gallon, classified as hard. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
At 159.5 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.