Hardness
Very Hard
273 PPM · 16 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in St. John, IN 46373
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Lake County.
No active health-based violation reported
- Primary matched system
- St. John Municipal Water Utility
- Source water
- Groundwater
- County
- Lake 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
0.0027 mg/L
18% of action level
Utility match
1 system
Serves 25,700 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
273 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
273
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
16
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 273 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
73
Nearest site
12.5 mi
Observation range
May 30, 2017–May 13, 2026
Estimate confidence
Moderate
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: USGS WELL P13 AT PINE STATION NP NEAR GARY, IN (Well).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 46373 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
St. John median
273 PPM
About the same1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 273–273 PPM
Indiana median
313 PPM
40 PPM lower472 indexed ZIP readings · Range 132–371 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 pass
Lead (PB90)
0.0027 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2023
Copper (CU90)
Not available
No numerical 90th-percentile result
Numerical coverage
1 comparable result
Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.
Lead (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 0.0027
EPA limit 0.015
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 0
- Health-based
- 0
- Active health-based
- 0
No violation record was returned for the associated systems in the imported lookback window beginning Jan 1, 2021.
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 St. John ZIP 46373 using 273 PPM nearby hardness and 1 reported measurement benchmarks.
Scale protection
High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener
273 PPM is 2× 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 systemsAffiliate 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 St. John
Is tap water safe in St. John?+
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 273 PPM, or 16 grains per gallon, classified as very hard. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
At 273 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.