How hard is the water in Ladysmith, WI?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 211.5 ppm (12.4 grains per gallon), classified as very hard. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 54848?

At 211.5 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.

Local water dashboard

Official source aggregation

Water quality in Ladysmith, WI 54848

Q: Is tap water safe in Ladysmith?

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.

A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Rusk County.

1 reported benchmark flag

Primary matched system: Ladysmith Waterworks
Source water: Groundwater
County: Rusk County
Profile updated: May 29, 2026

At a glance

What the current records say

EPA quarter 2026Q2

Hardness

Very Hard

211.5 PPM · 12.4 GPG

Compliance screen

No active flag

0 active health-based records

Lead 90th percentile

0.0018 mg/L

12% of action level

Utility match

2 systems

Serves 3,184 people system-wide

Hardness meter

How hard is the water?

Very Hard

Estimated local hardness

USGS hardness classification scale

211.5 PPM

Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+

Parts per million

211.5

mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent

Grains per gallon

12.4

1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM

What this means at home

At 211.5 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

Nearest site

60.1 mi

Observation range

Jul 30, 2018–Aug 22, 2018

Estimate confidence

Low

Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: PDCT-U8 031N15W17DA 01 (Well).USGS source documentation ↗

Regional context

Is 54848 typical?

These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.

Ladysmith median

212 PPM

About the same

1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 211.5–211.5 PPM

Wisconsin median

288 PPM

76 PPM lower

556 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 pass1 fail

Lead (PB90)

0.0018 mg/L

Reported Sep 30, 2024

Copper (CU90)

1.4 mg/L

Reported Sep 30, 2014

Numerical coverage

2 comparable results

Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.

Lead (90th percentile)

Measured in mg/L

Pass

Local 0.0018

EPA limit 0.015

Copper (90th percentile)

Measured in mg/L

Fail

Local 1.4

EPA limit 1.3

Share of EPA benchmark

100% line = listed limit

EPA SDWIS compliance

Reported violation history

Open EPA source documentation ↗

2026Q2

All records: 15
Health-based: 0
Active health-based: 0

Contaminant or rule	System	Status	Period
Public Notice	WI8550135	Resolved	Feb 18, 2026through Mar 25, 2026
Public Notice	WI8550135	Resolved	Jan 23, 2026through Mar 25, 2026
Public Notice	WI8550135	Unaddressed	Sep 10, 2025
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS	WI8550135	Unaddressed	Jul 2, 2025
Public Notice	WI8550135	Unaddressed	Apr 8, 2025
Public Notice	WI8550135	Unaddressed	Dec 13, 2024
Public Notice	WI8550135	Unaddressed	Oct 30, 2024
Public Notice	WI8550135	Unaddressed	Oct 1, 2024
Public Notice	WI8550135	Unaddressed	May 30, 2024
Fluoride	WI8550135	Archived	Jan 1, 2024through Dec 31, 2024
Revised Total Coliform Rule	WI8550135	Resolved	Nov 1, 2023through Nov 30, 2023
Consumer Confidence Rule	WI8550135	Resolved	Jul 1, 2023through Jul 17, 2023
Consumer Confidence Rule	WI8550135	Resolved	Jul 1, 2023through Jul 17, 2023
Bromate	WI8550131	Resolved	Oct 1, 2022through Dec 31, 2022
Public Notice	WI8550135	Unaddressed	Feb 1, 2019

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 Ladysmith ZIP 54848 using 211.5 PPM nearby hardness and 2 reported measurement benchmarks.

2 matches

Scale protection

High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener

211.5 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 systems

Drinking 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 filtration

Affiliate 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 Ladysmith

Is tap water safe in Ladysmith?+

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 211.5 PPM, or 12.4 grains per gallon, classified as very hard. This is not a household tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener?+

At 211.5 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.