Hardness
Hard
124 PPM · 7.3 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in Madison, KS 66860
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Greenwood County.
2 reported benchmark flags
- Primary matched system
- Madison, City Of
- Source water
- Surface water
- County
- Greenwood 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
0.0021 mg/L
14% of action level
Utility match
2 systems
Serves 682 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
124 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
124
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
7.3
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 124 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
11
Nearest site
69.3 mi
Observation range
Jan 11, 2016–Jun 3, 2026
Estimate confidence
Low
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: GYPSUM C AT OLIVER ST, WICHITA, KS (Stream).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 66860 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
Madison median
124 PPM
About the same1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 124–124 PPM
Kansas median
289 PPM
165 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 pass2 fail
Lead (PB90)
0.0021 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2025
Copper (CU90)
2.0508 mg/L
Reported Jun 30, 1998
Numerical coverage
3 comparable results
Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.
Lead (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 0.0021
EPA limit 0.015
Copper (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 2.0508
EPA limit 1.3
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Measured in MG/L
Local 0.063
EPA limit 0.06
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 15
- Health-based
- 4
- Active health-based
- 0
| Contaminant or rule | System | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | KS2007301 | Unaddressed | Oct 1, 2025 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | KS2007301 | Unaddressed | Jul 2, 2025 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | KS2007309 | Unaddressed | Jul 2, 2025 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | KS2007309 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Oct 22, 2024 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)Health-basedReported 0.063 MG/L · MCL 0.06 | KS2007301 | Resolved | Oct 1, 2024through Dec 31, 2024 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)Health-basedReported 0.064 MG/L · MCL 0.06 | KS2007309 | Resolved | Oct 1, 2024through Dec 31, 2024 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)Health-basedReported 0.061 MG/L · MCL 0.06 | KS2007301 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2024through Sep 30, 2024 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)Health-basedReported 0.062 MG/L · MCL 0.06 | KS2007309 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2024through Sep 30, 2024 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | KS2007301 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Jan 31, 2024 |
| Chlorine | KS2007301 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Feb 28, 2024 |
| Public Notice | KS2007301 | Unaddressed | Oct 31, 2021 |
| Public Notice | KS2007301 | Unaddressed | Oct 31, 2021 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | KS2007301 | Resolved | Jun 1, 2021through Jun 30, 2021 |
| CARBON, TOTAL | KS2007301 | Resolved | Apr 1, 2021through Jun 30, 2021 |
| Chlorine | KS2007301 | Resolved | Apr 1, 2021through Jun 30, 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 Madison ZIP 66860 using 124 PPM nearby hardness and 3 reported measurement benchmarks.
Scale protection
High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener
124 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
Copper (90th percentile), Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) 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 Madison
Is tap water safe in Madison?+
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 124 PPM, or 7.3 grains per gallon, classified as hard. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
At 124 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.