Hardness
Very Hard
310 PPM · 18.1 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in Great Bend, KS 67530
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Barton County.
2 reported benchmark flags
- Primary matched system
- Great Bend, City Of
- Source water
- Groundwater
- County
- Barton 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
0.0035 mg/L
23% of action level
Utility match
4 systems
Serves 14,580 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
310 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
310
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
18.1
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 310 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
74
Nearest site
36.5 mi
Observation range
Jun 7, 2016–May 6, 2021
Estimate confidence
Low
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: 15S 18W 26CDDA01 (Well).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 67530 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
Great Bend median
310 PPM
About the same1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 310–310 PPM
Kansas median
289 PPM
21 PPM higher540 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 pass2 fail
Lead (PB90)
0.0035 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2024
Copper (CU90)
1.4 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2007
Numerical coverage
3 comparable results
Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.
Lead (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 0.0035
EPA limit 0.015
Copper (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 1.4
EPA limit 1.3
Nitrate
Measured in MG/L
Local 11
EPA limit 10
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 28
- Health-based
- 5
- Active health-based
- 0
| Contaminant or rule | System | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | KS2000915 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2026through Feb 20, 2026 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | KS2000915 | Unaddressed | Oct 1, 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | KS2000915 | Resolved | Feb 1, 2025through Feb 28, 2025 |
| Chlorine | KS2000915 | Resolved | Feb 1, 2025through Feb 28, 2025 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | KS2000907 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2025through Mar 6, 2025 |
| TTHM | KS2000915 | Archived | Jan 1, 2025through Dec 31, 2025 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | KS2000915 | Archived | Jan 1, 2025through Dec 31, 2025 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | KS2000915 | Unaddressed | Oct 17, 2024 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | KS2000915 | Unaddressed | Oct 1, 2024 |
| Nitrate | KS2000915 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2024through Sep 30, 2024 |
| Nitrate | KS2000915 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2024through Sep 30, 2024 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | KS2000915 | Resolved | May 1, 2024through May 31, 2024 |
| Chlorine | KS2000915 | Resolved | May 1, 2024through May 31, 2024 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 11 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2000907 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Mar 31, 2024 |
| TTHM | KS2000915 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Oct 14, 2024 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | KS2000915 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Oct 14, 2024 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | KS2000907 | Resolved | Oct 2, 2023through Mar 31, 2024 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 11 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2000907 | Resolved | Oct 1, 2023through Dec 31, 2023 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | KS2000907 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2023through Mar 31, 2024 |
| NitrateHealth-basedReported 11 MG/L · MCL 10 | KS2000907 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2023through Mar 31, 2023 |
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 Great Bend ZIP 67530 using 310 PPM nearby hardness and 3 reported measurement benchmarks.
Scale protection
High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener
310 PPM is 3× 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
Copper (90th percentile), Nitrate have 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 Great Bend
Is tap water safe in Great Bend?+
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 310 PPM, or 18.1 grains per gallon, classified as very hard. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
At 310 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.