Water Hardness in Michigan Cities

Water Hardness in Michigan Cities

Water hardness, which primarily means the concentration of dissolved substances like calcium and magnesium, can greatly differ across Pennsylvania. The commonwealth, situated towards the eastern seaboard, often experiences varied water hardness levels, unlike regions such as the Midwest which are prone to higher hardness levels.

Concentrating on Michigan, the specific hardness measurements gathered from several towns and cities show an inclination towards moderate to high hardness levels, compared to the national average. As such, Michigan’s water is generally classified in the ‘moderate to hard’ category. This feature has significant implications in areas such as the water’s taste and the effectiveness of cleaning substances like soaps and detergents. It is worth noting that these hardness levels can vary and are subject to change based on local geological conditions and differences in water sources.

The cities analyzed in this dataset reveal a diversity of hardness levels in the water supplies listed, measured in Parts Per Million (ppm) and Grains Per Gallon (gpg). Cities like Detroit, Dearborn, and Livonia, report high hardness levels, with levels going beyond 90 ppm, 5.26 gpg. On the other hand, Water hardness in Allen Park and Grosse Pointe Farms is low, under 30 ppm, 1.75 gpg. A portion of the cities, including Grand Rapids, Warren, and Sterling Heights, do not provide data regarding water hardness.

City Hardness ppm (mg/L) Hardness gpg Information Source Notes
Detroit 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Grand Rapids n/a n/a Link
Warren n/a n/a Link
Sterling Heights n/a n/a Link
Ann Arbor 62.0 3.6 Link
Lansing 98.0 5.7 Link
Dearborn 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Livonia 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Troy 77.0 4.5 Link The stated average is lower than the “min” in the range in this document for all the values. This might be an error on Troy’s part. The average might be 80ppm instead, but I filled the sheet as it is reported exactly in the document to stay consistent with all the others.
Westland n/a n/a Link
Farmington Hills n/a n/a Link
Flint n/a n/a Link
Wyoming n/a n/a Link
Rochester Hills n/a n/a Link
Southfield 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Kalamazoo n/a n/a Link
Novi 92.0 5.4 Link Lower Lake Huron
Taylor 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Dearborn Heights 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Pontiac n/a n/a Link
St. Clair Shores 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Royal Oak 99.0 5.8 Link Sources from Detroit River
Kentwood 144.0 8.4 Link
Battle Creek n/a n/a Link
Portage n/a n/a Link
Roseville 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
East Lansing 122.5 7.2 Link
Saginaw 110.0 6.4 Link
Midland n/a n/a Link
Lincoln Park 94.0 5.5 Link Sources from Detroit River
Muskegon n/a n/a Link
Eastpointe 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Holland n/a n/a Link
Bay City 102.0 6.0 Link
Jackson n/a n/a Link
Southgate 94.0 5.5 Link Sources from Detroit River
Burton n/a n/a Link
Oak Park 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Port Huron n/a n/a Link
Madison Heights 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Allen Park 7.0 0.4 Link
Hamtramck 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Garden City 530.0 31.0 Link Took median of range
Inkster 104.0 6.1 Link Sources from Detroit River
Norton Shores n/a n/a Link
Walker n/a n/a Link Served by Grand Rapids
Romulus 94.0 5.5 Link Sources from Detroit River
Auburn Hills n/a n/a Link
Wyandotte 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Birmingham 99.0 5.8 Link
Mount Pleasant 117.0 6.8 Link
Adrian n/a n/a Link
Marquette n/a n/a Link
Monroe n/a n/a Link
Ypsilanti 93.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Ferndale 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Trenton 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Wayne 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Wixom 270.8 15.8 Link
Grosse Pointe Woods 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Grandville 143.0 8.4 Link
Traverse City n/a n/a Link
Mount Clemens n/a n/a Link
Harper Woods 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Berkley 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Hazel Park 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Owosso n/a n/a Link
Fraser 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Coldwater n/a n/a Link
Sault Ste. Marie n/a n/a Link
Rochester 393.0 23.0
Woodhaven 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Melvindale 94.0 5.5 Link Sources from Detroit River
Escanaba n/a n/a Link
Riverview 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
New Baltimore n/a n/a Link
Fenton n/a n/a Link
Niles n/a n/a Link
South Lyon 323.0 18.9 Link
Ionia n/a n/a Link
Farmington 92.0 5.4 Link Hardness not listed, took Detroit value because city sources from: Detroit River
Grosse Pointe Park 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
East Grand Rapids n/a n/a Link
Clawson 99.0 5.8 Link Sources from Detroit River
Sturgis n/a n/a Link
Grand Haven n/a n/a Link
Beverly Hills 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Flat Rock 94.0 5.5 Link Sources from Detroit River
Cadillac 143.0 8.4 Link
Alpena 111.0 6.5 Link
Howell 118.0 6.9 Link
Grosse Pointe Farms 29.0 1.7 Link As Calcium
Muskegon Heights n/a n/a Link
Marysville n/a n/a Link
Alma 140.0 8.2 Link Took median of range. Hardness info directly on city webpage, wasn’t in CCR
Plymouth 92.0 5.4 Link Sources from Detroit River
Ecorse 104.0 6.1 Link Sources from Detroit River
Charlotte n/a n/a Link
Greenville 327.0 19.1 Link
Benton Harbor n/a n/a Link
Top 100 Michigan cities by population and their reported water hardness
ppm = Parts Per Million
mg/L = Milligrams Per Liter
gpg = Grains Per Gallon

Hard water can cause issues such as mineral buildup in plumbing and appliances, reduce the efficacy of soaps and detergents, and affect the taste of the water. A tried and true solution is the use of a water softener. A water softener, like the ones from DROP, could be a worthwhile investment.

These devices work by replacing the calcium and magnesium ions that cause hardness with sodium ions, resulting in softer water. With innovative features, easy installation, and efficient operation, DROP smart water softeners provide a solution to hard water issues, extending the lifespan of appliances, improving water taste, enhancing soap effectiveness, reducing scale build-up, and increasing the overall water efficiency in your home.

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