Hardness
Soft
53.6 PPM · 3.1 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in Middlesex, NC 27557
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Nash County.
2 reported benchmark flags
- Primary matched system
- Middlesex Water System
- Source water
- Groundwater
- County
- Nash 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 mg/L
0% of action level
Utility match
5 systems
Serves 1,389 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
53.6 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
53.6
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
3.1
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 53.6 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
54
Nearest site
11.1 mi
Observation range
Aug 2, 2016–Sep 11, 2024
Estimate confidence
Moderate
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: WK-429 WENDELL MS NEAR WENDELL, NC BEDROCK (Well).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 27557 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
Middlesex median
54 PPM
About the same1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 53.6–53.6 PPM
North Carolina median
41 PPM
13 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 pass2 fail
Lead (PB90)
0 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2025
Copper (CU90)
1.46 mg/L
Reported Jun 30, 2008
Numerical coverage
3 comparable results
Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.
Lead (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 0
EPA limit 0.015
Copper (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 1.46
EPA limit 1.3
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE
Measured in MG/L
Local 7.0e-5
EPA limit 5.0e-5
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 24
- Health-based
- 3
- Active health-based
- 0
| Contaminant or rule | System | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Notice | NC0464050 | Addressed | Aug 20, 2025 |
| Chlordane | NC0464050 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2025through Mar 31, 2025 |
| Heptachlor epoxide | NC0464050 | Archived | Jan 1, 2025through Dec 31, 2025 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONSHealth-based | NC0464317 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Jan 29, 2025 |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | NC0464317 | Resolved | Oct 17, 2024through Jan 29, 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | NC0351120 | Resolved | Oct 11, 2024through Jan 3, 2025 |
| Chlorine | NC0351120 | Resolved | Sep 1, 2024through Sep 30, 2024 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | NC0351120 | Resolved | Sep 1, 2024through Sep 30, 2024 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | NC4051010 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2024through Dec 11, 2024 |
| TTHM | NC0464050 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Dec 31, 2024 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | NC0464050 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Dec 31, 2024 |
| Public Notice | NC0464050 | Resolved | Aug 26, 2023through Nov 1, 2023 |
| Public Notice | NC0464050 | Resolved | Jul 23, 2023through Oct 19, 2023 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | NC0464050 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2023through Nov 15, 2023 |
| Public Notice | NC0464050 | Resolved | May 19, 2023through Aug 25, 2023 |
| ETHYLENE DIBROMIDEHealth-basedReported 7.0e-5 MG/L · MCL 5.0e-5 | NC0464050 | Archived | Apr 1, 2023through Jun 30, 2023 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | NC0464050 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2023through Mar 8, 2023 |
| ETHYLENE DIBROMIDEHealth-basedReported 6.0e-5 MG/L · MCL 5.0e-5 | NC0464050 | Archived | Jan 1, 2023through Mar 31, 2023 |
| TTHM | NC0464050 | Resolved | Aug 1, 2021through Jul 31, 2022 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | NC0464050 | Resolved | Aug 1, 2021through Jul 31, 2022 |
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 Middlesex ZIP 27557 using 53.6 PPM nearby hardness and 3 reported measurement benchmarks.
Drinking water protection
Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis System
Copper (90th percentile), ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE 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 Middlesex
Is tap water safe in Middlesex?+
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 53.6 PPM, or 3.1 grains per gallon, classified as soft. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
There is no high-hardness trigger in this profile. Confirm with a tap test before buying equipment.