Hardness
Very Hard
516 PPM · 30.2 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in Brookings, SD 57006
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Brookings County.
1 reported benchmark flag
- Primary matched system
- Brookings Municipal Utilities
- Source water
- Groundwater
- County
- Brookings 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
0.003 mg/L
20% of action level
Utility match
4 systems
Serves 23,377 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
516 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
516
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
30.2
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 516 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
1
Nearest site
37 mi
Observation range
Apr 30, 2024–Apr 30, 2024
Estimate confidence
Low
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: 115N047W03BAC (Gary obs well) (Well).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 57006 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
Brookings median
516 PPM
About the same1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 516–516 PPM
South Dakota median
516 PPM
About the same234 indexed ZIP readings · Range 20.5–1330 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 pass1 fail
Lead (PB90)
0.003 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2025
Copper (CU90)
1.4 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2016
Numerical coverage
2 comparable results
Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.
Lead (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 0.003
EPA limit 0.015
Copper (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 1.4
EPA limit 1.3
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 24
- Health-based
- 0
- Active health-based
- 0
| Contaminant or rule | System | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | SD4600072 | Archived | Nov 1, 2025through Nov 30, 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | SD4600075 | Resolved | Dec 1, 2023through Dec 31, 2023 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | SD4600075 | Resolved | Oct 1, 2023through Oct 31, 2023 |
| Vinyl chloride | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Tetrachloroethylene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| 1,1,2-Trichloroethane | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Xylenes, Total | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Carbon tetrachloride | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| o-Dichlorobenzene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| 1,2-Dichloropropane | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Benzene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| 1,2-Dichloroethane | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Toluene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Styrene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Ethylbenzene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| 1,1-Dichloroethylene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Trichloroethylene | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| 1,1,1-Trichloroethane | SD4600072 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
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 Brookings ZIP 57006 using 516 PPM nearby hardness and 2 reported measurement benchmarks.
Scale protection
High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener
516 PPM is 4× 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) has 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 Brookings
Is tap water safe in Brookings?+
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 516 PPM, or 30.2 grains per gallon, classified as very hard. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
At 516 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.