Hardness
Hard
176.5 PPM · 10.3 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in Boone, NC 28607
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Watauga County.
3 reported benchmark flags
- Primary matched system
- Boone, Town Of
- Source water
- Surface water + Groundwater
- County
- Watauga 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
0.0025 mg/L
17% of action level
Utility match
10 systems
Serves 19,811 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
176.5 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
176.5
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
10.3
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 176.5 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
6
Nearest site
58.1 mi
Observation range
Aug 30, 2016–Aug 31, 2016
Estimate confidence
Low
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: CLINCH RIVER BELOW DUMPS CREEK AT CARBO, VA (Stream).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 28607 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
Boone median
177 PPM
About the same1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 176.5–176.5 PPM
North Carolina median
41 PPM
136 PPM higher519 indexed ZIP readings · Range 4.7–267.5 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 pass3 fail
Lead (PB90)
0.0025 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2025
Copper (CU90)
1.8 mg/L
Reported Jun 30, 2002
Numerical coverage
4 comparable results
Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.
Lead (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 0.0025
EPA limit 0.015
Copper (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 1.8
EPA limit 1.3
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Measured in MG/L
Local 0.077
EPA limit 0.06
Arsenic
Measured in MG/L
Local 0.258
EPA limit 0.01
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 58
- Health-based
- 14
- Active health-based
- 0
| Contaminant or rule | System | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Rule | NC3095030 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2025through Sep 2, 2025 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | NC0195127 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2025through Aug 21, 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | NC3095030 | Resolved | May 11, 2025through Jun 30, 2025 |
| CARBON, TOTAL | NC0195101 | Resolved | Apr 1, 2025through Jun 30, 2025 |
| CARBON, TOTAL | NC0195101 | Resolved | Apr 1, 2025through Jun 30, 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | NC3095030 | Addressed | Apr 1, 2025 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | NC0195101 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2025through Sep 2, 2025 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)Health-basedReported 0.077 MG/L · MCL 0.06 | NC0195101 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2025through Mar 31, 2025 |
| TTHM | NC3095030 | Archived | Jan 1, 2025through Dec 31, 2025 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | NC3095030 | Archived | Jan 1, 2025through Dec 31, 2025 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | NC0195127 | Addressed | Jan 1, 2025 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | NC0195160 | Addressed | Jan 1, 2025 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONSHealth-based | NC0195106 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Dec 2, 2024 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | NC0195106 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Dec 2, 2024 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | NC3095044 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Nov 26, 2024 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONSHealth-based | NC3095044 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Nov 26, 2024 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONSHealth-based | NC0195127 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Dec 17, 2024 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | NC0195127 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Dec 17, 2024 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | NC0195111 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Dec 30, 2024 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONSHealth-based | NC0195111 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Dec 30, 2024 |
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 Boone ZIP 28607 using 176.5 PPM nearby hardness and 4 reported measurement benchmarks.
Scale protection
High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener
176.5 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), Arsenic 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 Boone
Is tap water safe in Boone?+
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 176.5 PPM, or 10.3 grains per gallon, classified as hard. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
At 176.5 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.