Is tap water safe in Moorhead?

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 Moorhead, MN?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 716 ppm (41.9 grains per gallon), classified as very hard. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 56560?

At 716 ppm, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale buildup and hard-water spotting. Treatment for hardness does not remove all health-related contaminants.

City water profile

Moorhead water quality

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

Median indexed hardness

705PPM

3 indexed ZIPs

Range 705–716 PPM

State comparison: 387 PPM above
State hardness rank: #2 of 250
Matched utilities: 1
Active health records: 0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Moorhead has 3 published ZIP profiles across Clay County. The indexed median is 705 PPM, compared with 318 PPM across Minnesota.

Among the 250 Minnesotacities with an indexed median, Moorhead ranks #2from highest to lowest. Across all 321 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 46.1to 716 PPM.

The 705–716 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 hard3 ZIPs

3 of 3 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance: 1.4 miles
Profiles with evidence: 3/3

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 3Low: 0

Observation window: Jan 4, 2016 to Jun 1, 2026.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Moorhead

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

56560

Very Hard

716 PPM

Nearest site: 2.9 mi
Confidence: Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

56562

Very Hard

705 PPM

Nearest site: 0.7 mi
Confidence: Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

56563

Very Hard

705 PPM

Nearest site: 1.4 mi
Confidence: Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Moorhead

PWSID MN1140008

Surface water

System population served: 44,583
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

Barnesville

Clay County

408 PPM median

Dilworth

Clay County

705 PPM median

Glyndon

Clay County

388 PPM median

Hawley

Clay County

383 PPM median

Fergus Falls

Otter Tail County

671 PPM median

East Grand Forks

Polk County

636 PPM median

Search all 252 Minnesota cities →

Questions people ask

About water in Moorhead

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 705 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.