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City water profile

Detroit water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Detroit, Michigan.

Median indexed hardness

256PPM

31 indexed ZIPs

Range 228–255.5 PPM

State comparison
27 PPM below
State hardness rank
#229 of 374
Matched utilities
2
Active health records
0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Detroit has 31 published ZIP profiles across Wayne County. The indexed median is 256 PPM, compared with 283 PPM across Michigan.

Among the 374 Michigancities with an indexed median, Detroit ranks #229from highest to lowest. Across all 512 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 41.3to 459.5 PPM.

The 228–255.5 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label. At least one estimate is marked low confidence, so observation distance and date deserve extra attention.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft0 ZIPs
Moderately hard0 ZIPs
Hard0 ZIPs
Very hard31 ZIPs

31 of 31 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance
17.8 miles
Profiles with evidence
31/31

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 10Low: 21

Observation window: Jan 7, 2016 to Jun 9, 2026.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Detroit

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

48201

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
18.6 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48202

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
16.8 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48203

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
13.9 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48204

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
18.2 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48205

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
12.7 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48206

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
17 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48207

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
18.4 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48208

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
18.7 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48209

Very Hard

234 PPM

Nearest site
21.8 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

48210

Very Hard

240 PPM

Nearest site
19.9 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

48211

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
16.1 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48212

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
14.2 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48213

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
15 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48214

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
17.3 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48215

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
16.9 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48216

Very Hard

234 PPM

Nearest site
20.1 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

48217

Very Hard

234 PPM

Nearest site
24.2 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

48219

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
17.4 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48221

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
14.4 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48223

Very Hard

240 PPM

Nearest site
18.9 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

48224

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
14.7 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48226

Very Hard

228 PPM

Nearest site
19.6 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

48227

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
17.8 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48228

Very Hard

240 PPM

Nearest site
20.4 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

48233

Very Hard

228 PPM

Nearest site
20.2 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

48234

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
12.7 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48235

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
15.5 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48238

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
16.2 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48239

Very Hard

240 PPM

Nearest site
21.1 mi
Confidence
Moderate

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ZIP code

48240

Very Hard

255.5 PPM

Nearest site
19.2 mi
Confidence
Low

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ZIP code

48243

Very Hard

228 PPM

Nearest site
19.7 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Detroit City Of

PWSID MI0001800

Surface water
System population served
633,218
Last reported
Jun 23, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Great Lakes Water Authority

PWSID MI0002838

Surface water
System population served
0
Last reported
Jun 23, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Compliance history

What EPA records show

No active health-based violation appears among the associated systems in the represented EPA reporting quarter. This does not mean every contaminant was tested at every tap.

RecordSystemPeriodStatus
Surface Water Treatment RuleMI0002838Sep 1, 2024Resolved
CARBON, TOTALMI0002838Jan 1, 2024Resolved · health-based
CARBON, TOTALMI0002838Oct 1, 2023Resolved · health-based
CARBON, TOTALMI0002838Jul 1, 2023Resolved · health-based
BromateMI0002838Jan 1, 2022Resolved
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment RuleMI0002838Aug 1, 2021Resolved

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

  1. 1. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
  2. 2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
  3. 3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Questions people ask

About water in Detroit

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 256 PPM. Open the ZIP report to verify the distance and confidence behind that estimate.

Is the tap water safe?

Compliance history is utility-wide and cannot guarantee conditions at every tap. Check current notices and test when address-specific evidence is needed.

Do I need treatment?

Choose treatment only after confirming the problem at the property. A softener targets hardness; contaminant treatment requires a matching, verified performance claim.