Water Hardness in North Dakota Cities

Water Hardness in North Dakota Cities

Water hardness refers to the amount of dissolved calcium and magnesium in water, and this characteristic can vary significantly across different parts of the United States. Each region may encounter distinct levels of water hardness due to its unique geological and environmental conditions.

In North Dakota, water hardness can range from moderate to very hard, depending mainly on the geological composition of the area and the sources of its water supply. North Dakota’s landscape, which includes extensive agricultural land, and reliance on both surface water and groundwater contribute to the state’s water hardness. The variation in water hardness is noticeable not just from region to region within the state but can also evolve in a particular area over time due to changes in water treatment practices and shifts in water resources. This variation in hardness levels influences several factors, including the taste of the water. It can also impact the effectiveness of soaps and detergents, posing challenges for both households and industries in managing water quality and equipment efficiency.

The water hardness levels in North Dakota display a significant range across various cities, with measurements expressed in parts per million (ppm) and grains per gallon (gpg). Cities like Fargo and West Fargo present moderate hardness levels at 132.0ppm, 7.7gpg, and 132.0ppm, 7.7gpg, respectively. In contrast, Bottineau shows an exceptionally high level at 807.0ppm and 47.1gpg, which is quite disparate from the other cities. Other areas, such as Dickinson and Hettinger, possess hardness levels on the higher side, with concentrations reaching 155.0ppm, 9.1 gpg. Interestingly, some cities like Casselton, Mayville, and Hillsboro have much softer water, with levels as low as 41.2ppm, 2.4gpg, and 37.0ppm, 2.2gpg, respectively. However, several cities, including Grand Forks, Williston, Mandan, and others, did not have available data regarding their water hardness.

City Hardness ppm (mg/L) Hardness gpg Information Source Notes
Fargo 132.0 7.7 Link
Bismarck 133.0 7.8 Link
Grand Forks n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
Minot 156.0 9.0 Link
West Fargo 132.0 7.7 Link Purchases from Fargo
Williston n/a n/a Link (Reports at the bottom of linked page) Report mentions they soften the water, but don’t quantify
Dickinson 155.0 9.1 Link Report says they soften the water, but doesn’t list final hardness ppm, only alkalinity. Mott purchases water from Dickinson’s softening plant and does list hardness so used that number.
Mandan n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
Jamestown n/a n/a Link
Wahpeton n/a n/a Link Report says they soften the water, but doesn’t list final hardness ppm.
Devils Lake 118.1 6.9 Link
Valley City n/a n/a Link
Watford City n/a n/a Link Purchases from Williston
Lincoln 133.0 7.8 Link Purchases from Bismarck
Grafton 154.0 9.3 Link
Horace n/a n/a Link
Beulah n/a n/a Link
New Town n/a n/a Link
Rugby n/a n/a Link Say they lime soften the water, but don’t provide hardness ppm
Casselton 41.2 2.4 Link Purchases from Cass Rural Water District, listed as just Calcium
Stanley n/a n/a Link Hasn’t been published online per alert on website
Hazen n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
Bottineau 807.0 47.1 Link Lists only high value
Lisbon 133.0 7.8 Link
Tioga n/a n/a Link R&T Water Supply Commerce Authority and Williston water blended
Carrington n/a n/a Link
Langdon 118.1 6.9 Link Purchases from Devils Lake
Oakes 123.0 7.2 Link
Mayville 37.0 2.2 Link Purchases from Hillsboro
Hillsboro 37.0 2.2 Link
Harvey n/a n/a Link No dedicated webpage to the water department, no online CCR, but appears their treatment plant uses membrane softening.
Garrison 145.0 8.5 Link
Bowman n/a n/a Link
Park River n/a n/a Link
Mapleton 83.2 4.9 Link As Calcium
New Rockford n/a n/a Link
Surrey 156.0 9.0 Link Purchases from Minot
Washburn n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
Burlington 156.0 9.0 Link Gets water from Minot. Used 2021 report as 2022 report isn’t uploaded in full
Larimore n/a n/a Link
Cavalier n/a n/a Link NorthEast Regional Water District North Valley Branch Icelandic Aquifer
Rolla n/a n/a Link
Cando 118.1 6.9 Link Purchases from Devils Lake
Thompson n/a n/a Link
Ellendale 474.0 27.7 Link
Velva n/a n/a Link
Crosby n/a n/a Link Water CCR is paywalled. Doesn’t appear to be posted on municipal website
Linton n/a n/a Link Alkalinity Only
Hettinger 155.0 9.1 Link Southwest Water Authority, softened in Dickinson, this report doesn’t list hardness for water softened in Dickinson, but Mott does
New Salem n/a n/a Link Gets from Mandan, which only reports Alkalinity
Beach n/a n/a Link Alkalinity Only
Belfield 155.0 9.1 Link Southwest Water Authority, softened in Dickinson, this report doesn’t list hardness for water softened in Dickinson, but Mott does
Northwood 59.9 3.5 Link
Cooperstown n/a n/a Link
Gwinner n/a n/a Link Report says they filter for hardness
Kindred 41.2 2.4 Link Purchases from Cass Rural Water, used the Calcium number from Casselton
Kenmare 156.0 9.0 Link Purchases from Minot
Hankinson n/a n/a Link
Killdeer n/a n/a Link Southwest Water Authority — Oliver, Mercer, North Dunn
Walhalla n/a n/a Link Purchases from Northeast RWD — North Valley Branch, same as Cavalier
Parshall n/a n/a Link Res city, might be exempt from CCR. Didn’t find on CCR search on EPA site, and city webpage doesn’t have info on utilities
Enderlin 239.0 14.0 Link
Wishek n/a n/a Link
Harwood n/a n/a Link
Reile’s Acres 41.2 2.4 Link Purchases from Cass Rural Water, used the calcium number from Casselton
Hebron 155.0 9.1 Link Southwest Water Authority, softened in Dickinson, this report doesn’t list hardness for water softened in Dickinson, but Mott does
Underwood n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
LaMoure 133.0 7.8 Link Purchases from Lisbon
Napoleon 171.0 10.0 Link
Drayton n/a n/a Link Website bandwidth exceeded, couldn’t find an alternate link to any CCR
Glen Ullin 155.0 9.1 Link Southwest Water Authority, softened in Dickinson, this report doesn’t list hardness for water softened in Dickinson, but Mott does
Wilton n/a n/a Link South Central Regional, reports Alkalinity only
Hatton n/a n/a Link Purchases from East Central Regional Water District in Grand Forks which only reports alkalinity
Ray n/a n/a Link Says they soften the water, but don’t quantify a ppm
Mohall 156.0 9.0 Link Purchases from Minot
Lakota n/a n/a Link
New England n/a n/a Link Southwest Water, but doesn’t specific where it’s treated.
Richardton 155.0 9.1 Link Southwest Water Authority, softened in Dickinson, this report doesn’t list hardness for water softened in Dickinson, but Mott does
Steele n/a n/a Link CCR at bottom of page, mentions they soften the water but don’t provide ppm
Mott 155.0 9.1 Link Southwest water, softened in Dickinson
Dunseith n/a n/a Link Most recent I could find was 2012, doesn’t report hardness
Milnor 247.0 14.4 Link
Minto n/a n/a Link Purchases from Park River
Ashley n/a n/a Link
Lidgerwood n/a n/a Link Didn’t find a CCR for them on town website, possible they don’t have one, only a town of 600
Portland n/a n/a Link Purchases from East Central Water District
Edgeley 474.0 27.7 Link
Center n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only. Southwest Water
Turtle Lake n/a n/a Link
Elgin n/a n/a Link Uses Southwest Water — not certain which treatment plant they purchase from though.
Pembina n/a n/a Link Northeast Rural Water District North Valley Branch
Forman n/a n/a Link
Rolette n/a n/a Link City website is offline, town only has 484 people so might not have a CCR
Argusville 41.2 2.4 Link Purchases from Cass Rural Water, which reports as Calcium on the Casselton CCR.
Berthold 156.0 9.0 Link Purchases from Minot
Towner n/a n/a Link Only found Facebook page, with a link that leads to a dispensary webpage. Only a town of 500 people.
Fessenden 132.5 7.7 Link As Calcium
Emerado n/a n/a Link Purchases from East Central Regional Water
Wyndmere n/a n/a Link Southeast Water Users District
Leeds n/a n/a Link Scroll to bottom of this page for CCR
Top 100 North Dakota 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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