Hardness
Very Hard
282 PPM · 16.5 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in Eau Claire, WI 54701
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Eau Claire County.
2 reported benchmark flags
- Primary matched system
- Eau Claire Waterworks
- Source water
- Groundwater
- County
- Eau Claire 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
0.0053 mg/L
35% of action level
Utility match
8 systems
Serves 70,587 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
282 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
282
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
16.5
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 282 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
19
Nearest site
41.4 mi
Observation range
Jul 11, 2018–Aug 30, 2018
Estimate confidence
Low
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: PDCT-U7 024N16W09AA 01 (Well).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 54701 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
Eau Claire median
282 PPM
About the same2 indexed ZIP readings · Range 282–282 PPM
Wisconsin median
288 PPM
6 PPM lower556 indexed ZIP readings · Range 41.3–467 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)
0.0053 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2025
Copper (CU90)
1.5 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2025
Numerical coverage
3 comparable results
Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.
Lead (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 0.0053
EPA limit 0.015
Copper (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 1.5
EPA limit 1.3
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Measured in PCI/L
Local 7.985
EPA limit 5
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 14
- Health-based
- 2
- Active health-based
- 0
| Contaminant or rule | System | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined Radium (-226 and -228)Health-basedReported 7.985 PCI/L · MCL 5 | WI6180290 | Archived | Jan 1, 2026through Mar 31, 2026 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | WI6180281 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2025through Jun 3, 2025 |
| Lead and Copper RuleHealth-based | WI6180286 | Resolved | Oct 1, 2024through Jun 19, 2025 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | WI6180290 | Resolved | Jun 1, 2024through Aug 12, 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | WI6180290 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2022through Jul 31, 2022 |
| Nitrate | WI6180286 | Resolved | Jul 1, 2022through Sep 30, 2022 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | WI6180290 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2022through Jan 11, 2022 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | WI6180291 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2022through Jan 12, 2022 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | WI6180281 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2022through Jan 6, 2022 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | WI6180300 | Resolved | Jun 1, 2021through Nov 30, 2021 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | WI6180300 | Resolved | Jun 1, 2021through Nov 30, 2021 |
| Radium-228 | WI6180281 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Combined Radium (-226 and -228) | WI6180281 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2021through Dec 31, 2021 |
| Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U | WI6180281 | 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 Eau Claire ZIP 54701 using 282 PPM nearby hardness and 3 reported measurement benchmarks.
Scale protection
High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener
282 PPM is 2× 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), Combined Radium (-226 and -228) 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.
Nearby indexed reports
Compare ZIPs in Eau Claire
Estimates can differ across a city because monitoring locations and associated systems differ.
Frequently asked
Water questions for Eau Claire
Is tap water safe in Eau Claire?+
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 282 PPM, or 16.5 grains per gallon, classified as very hard. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
At 282 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.