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City water profile

Portage water quality

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

Median indexed hardness

359PPM

2 indexed ZIPs

Range 359–359 PPM

State comparison
76 PPM above
State hardness rank
#131 of 374
Matched utilities
1
Active health records
0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Portage has 2 published ZIP profiles across Kalamazoo County. The indexed median is 359 PPM, compared with 283 PPM across Michigan.

Among the 374 Michigancities with an indexed median, Portage ranks #131from highest to lowest. Across all 512 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 41.3to 459.5 PPM.

The 359–359 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft0 ZIPs
Moderately hard0 ZIPs
Hard0 ZIPs
Very hard2 ZIPs

2 of 2 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance
5.6 miles
Profiles with evidence
2/2

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 2Low: 0

Observation window: Jun 28, 2016 to Oct 11, 2023.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Portage

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

49002

Very Hard

359 PPM

Nearest site
5.6 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

49024

Very Hard

359 PPM

Nearest site
5 mi
Confidence
Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Portage

PWSID MI0005520

Groundwater
System population served
46,292
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.

No violation records are included in the current lookback window.

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 Portage

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 359 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.