Is tap water safe in Duluth?

EPA SDWIS shows no active health-based violation in this profile's reporting window. That is not the same as proving every contaminant is absent, and federal data can lag state and utility records.

How hard is the water in Duluth, MN?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 66.9 ppm (3.9 grains per gallon), classified as moderately hard. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 55808?

There is no high-hardness trigger in this profile. Confirm conditions with an at-home hardness test before purchasing equipment.

City water profile

Duluth water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Duluth, Minnesota.

Median indexed hardness

61PPM

7 indexed ZIPs

Range 59.5–66.9 PPM

State comparison: 257 PPM below
State hardness rank: #244 of 250
Matched utilities: 1
Active health records: 0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Duluth has 7 published ZIP profiles across St. Louis County. The indexed median is 61 PPM, compared with 318 PPM across Minnesota.

Among the 250 Minnesotacities with an indexed median, Duluth ranks #244from highest to lowest. Across all 321 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 46.1to 716 PPM.

The 59.5–66.9 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft1 ZIP

Moderately hard6 ZIPs

Hard0 ZIPs

Very hard0 ZIPs

7 of 7 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance: 1.7 miles
Profiles with evidence: 7/7

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 7Low: 0

Duluth

PWSID MN1690011

Surface water

System population served: 86,859
Last reported: May 28, 2026

A municipal system, in-state city, and served county all agree with this Census 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. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Continue comparing

Other Minnesota communities

Babbitt

St. Louis County

58 PPM median

Buhl

St. Louis County

203 PPM median

Chisholm

St. Louis County

61 PPM median

Eveleth

St. Louis County

61 PPM median

Gilbert

St. Louis County

203 PPM median

Hermantown

St. Louis County

61 PPM median

Search all 252 Minnesota cities →

Questions people ask

About water in Duluth

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 61 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.