Hardness
Very Hard
279 PPM · 16.3 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in Ford, KS 67842
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Ford County.
1 reported benchmark flag
- Primary matched system
- Ford, City Of
- Source water
- Groundwater
- County
- Ford 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
0.0023 mg/L
15% of action level
Utility match
1 system
Serves 204 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
279 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
279
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
16.3
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 279 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
8
Nearest site
16.2 mi
Observation range
Jul 23, 2018–May 6, 2021
Estimate confidence
Moderate
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: 28S 20W 10ACAC01 COS-1226 (Well).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 67842 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
Ford median
279 PPM
About the same1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 279–279 PPM
Kansas median
289 PPM
10 PPM lower540 indexed ZIP readings · Range 72.2–707 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)
0.0023 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2025
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 0.0023
EPA limit 0.015
Nitrate
Measured in MG/L
Local 26
EPA limit 10
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 41
- Health-based
- 19
- Active health-based
- 0
| Contaminant or rule | System | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 26 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Jan 1, 2026through Mar 31, 2026 |
| Nitrate | KS2005709 | Archived | Jan 1, 2026through Mar 31, 2026 |
| Nitrate | KS2005709 | Archived | Jan 1, 2026through Mar 31, 2026 |
| Nitrate | KS2005709 | Archived | Oct 1, 2025through Dec 31, 2025 |
| Nitrate | KS2005709 | Archived | Oct 1, 2025through Dec 31, 2025 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 16 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Jul 1, 2025through Sep 30, 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | KS2005709 | Resolved | May 1, 2025through May 31, 2025 |
| Chlorine | KS2005709 | Resolved | May 1, 2025through May 31, 2025 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 16 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Apr 1, 2025through Jun 30, 2025 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 16 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Jan 1, 2025through Mar 31, 2025 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | KS2005709 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Dec 3, 2024 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 23 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Oct 1, 2024through Dec 31, 2024 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 22 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Jul 1, 2024through Sep 30, 2024 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 22 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Apr 1, 2024through Jun 30, 2024 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | KS2005709 | Resolved | Mar 1, 2024through Mar 31, 2024 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 21 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Jan 1, 2024through Mar 31, 2024 |
| Chlorine | KS2005709 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Mar 31, 2024 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 21 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Oct 1, 2023through Dec 31, 2023 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 20 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2005709 | Archived | Jul 1, 2023through Sep 30, 2023 |
| Public Notice | KS2005709 | Resolved | May 29, 2023through Mar 12, 2024 |
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 Ford ZIP 67842 using 279 PPM nearby hardness and 2 reported measurement benchmarks.
Scale protection
High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener
279 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 systemsDrinking water protection
Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis System
Nitrate 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 Ford
Is tap water safe in Ford?+
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 279 PPM, or 16.3 grains per gallon, classified as very hard. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
At 279 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.