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Kansas water hardness, by utility.

552 Kansas utilities serving 2.5 million people as they report it, from the state’s own results. Hardness is the calcium and magnesium in water; EPA sets no limit for it.

The short answer

Hard water reaches the most people here: 93 utilities serving 1.4 million. Another 39 utilities, serving 411,551, have water in more than one band.

The largest, Water District 1 of Johnson Co, is hard, typically 140 mg/L (8.2 grains per gallon).

Very hard

Above 180 mg/L (10.5 grains per gallon). 377 utilities serving 614,402 people; the 25 largest are here.

Kansas utilities: very hard water
UtilityBased inServesHardness, mg/LGrains per gallon
Kansas City Board of Public UtilitiesKansas City152,96029517.3
City of Dodge CityDodge City27,10431018.1
City of LiberalLiberal19,64023513.7
City of NewtonNewton18,43322513.2
City of Great BendGreat Bend14,58037021.6
City of McPhersonMcPherson13,94436021.1
City of HaysvilleHaysville11,31522513.2
City of AtchisonAtchison10,69427015.8
City of CoffeyvilleCoffeyville8,84719511.4
City of Fort ScottFort Scott7,51319511.4
City of PrattPratt6,57324014
City of UlyssesUlysses6,41032018.7
City of TonganoxieTonganoxie5,70224314.2
City of GoddardGoddard5,37237021.6
City of ConcordiaConcordia5,03239022.8
City of WamegoWamego4,86029017
Suburban Water CompanyBasehor4,70035020.5
City of GoodlandGoodland4,45019511.4
Jackson Co RWD 3Holton4,37628016.4
City of Baxter SpringsBaxter Springs3,85219011.1
City of HugotonHugoton3,76430317.7
City of Scott CityScott City3,74836021.1
Atchison Co RWD 5cLancaster3,69032519
Jefferson Co RWD 12Winchester3,63526315.4
City of LarnedLarned3,62151029.8
All 377 with very hard water

Hard

121 to 180 mg/L (7.1 to 10.5 grains per gallon). 93 utilities serving 1.4 million people; the 25 largest are here.

Kansas utilities: hard water
UtilityBased inServesHardness, mg/LGrains per gallon
Water District 1 of Johnson CoKansas City490,0001408.2
City of WichitaWichita395,6991458.5
City of TopekaTopeka125,9631357.9
City of HutchinsonHutchinson39,7121307.6
Frusi Water Treatment PlantFort Riley35,7841559.1
City of GardnerGardner23,9421458.5
City of HaysHays21,0401609.4
City of PittsburgPittsburg20,7381307.6
City of Junction CityJunction City19,1671609.4
Fort Leavenworth American Water Ent LLCFort Leavenworth12,9341307.6
City of OttawaOttawa12,6041307.6
City of Arkansas CityArkansas City11,9291388
City of WinfieldWinfield11,7261307.6
Miami Co RWD 2Hillsdale10,3111408.2
City of ParsonsParsons9,4791257.3
City of ChanuteChanute8,6421307.6
City of IndependenceIndependence8,4641609.4
City of WellingtonWellington7,6641559.1
City of Valley CenterValley Center7,4191408.2
City of AbileneAbilene6,46817510.2
City of MaizeMaize6,06017510.2
Sedgwick Co RWD 3Derby6,0451408.2
City of OsawatomieOsawatomie4,2801709.9
Osage Co RWD 5Overbrook3,8751307.6
City of BeloitBeloit3,4071357.9
All 93 with hard water

Moderately hard

61 to 120 mg/L (3.6 to 7 grains per gallon). 37 utilities serving 155,626 people; the 25 largest are here.

Kansas utilities: moderately hard water
UtilityBased inServesHardness, mg/LGrains per gallon
City of ManhattanManhattan54,763975.6
City of EmporiaEmporia24,009774.5
City of El DoradoEl Dorado12,8101156.7
Shawnee Co RWD 4cTopeka12,000955.6
City of AugustaAugusta9,2671106.4
City of MulvaneMulvane6,5871207
City of EudoraEudora6,4491106.4
City of IolaIola5,343834.8
City of DesotoDesoto4,6451106.4
City of Clay CenterClay Center4,1381156.7
City of EllsworthEllsworth2,9921156.7
Wabaunsee Co RWD 2Wamego1,4001207
City of CarbondaleCarbondale1,3441207
City of PleasantonPleasanton1,238744.3
City of Conway SpringsConway Springs1,106985.7
City of St GeorgeSt George998915.3
Clay Co RWD 2Clay Center9501207
Marion Co RWD 1Durham7801136.6
City of Mound CityMound City678985.7
Washington Co RWD 2Washington673925.4
City of RichmondRichmond4421207
City of NorwichNorwich4331136.6
City of LinnLinn382734.3
City of McFarlandMcFarland281633.7
City of GreeleyGreeley2711005.8
All 37 with moderately hard water

Soft

Up to 60 mg/L (3.5 grains per gallon). 6 utilities serving 2,582 people, largest first.

Kansas utilities: soft water
UtilityBased inServesHardness, mg/LGrains per gallon
City of Yates CenterYates Center1,335523
City of BurrtonBurrton854523
Rush Co RWD 1McCracken150271.5
City of LiebenthalLiebenthal92563.3
City of CoolidgeCoolidge7820.1
City of LongfordLongford73583.4

Varies

Water in more than one band, depending on where or when it was sampled: each is given as its range, softest to hardest, and its report says more. 39 utilities serving 411,551 people; the 25 largest are here.

Kansas utilities: varies water
UtilityBased inServesHardness, mg/LGrains per gallon
City of OlatheOlathe143,014110 to 1606.4 to 9.4
City of LawrenceLawrence95,25636 to 742.1 to 4.3
City of SalinaSalina46,481110 to 1406.4 to 8.2
Leavenworth Water DepartmentLeavenworth38,757120 to 1507 to 8.8
City of Garden CityGarden City35,126150 to 9108.8 to 53.2
City of Bonner SpringsBonner Springs7,805120 to 4707 to 27.5
Pottawatomie Co RWD 1Wamego7,53588 to 1305.1 to 7.6
City of ColbyColby5,516170 to 2959.9 to 17.3
Douglas Co RWD 3Berryton4,663110 to 1606.4 to 9.4
City of RussellRussell4,388110 to 2106.4 to 12.3
City of ClearwaterClearwater2,626125 to 3057.3 to 17.8
City of LakinLakin2,16691 to 2705.3 to 15.8
Ottawa Co RWD 2Salina1,79484 to 1904.9 to 11.1
City of OberlinOberlin1,639170 to 3159.9 to 18.4
City of MeadeMeade1,506170 to 1859.9 to 10.8
City of HoxieHoxie1,218180 to 28510.5 to 16.7
Washington Co RWD 1Hanover1,093140 to 4308.2 to 25.1
City of PlainsPlains1,023180 to 21010.5 to 12.3
City of MontezumaMontezuma951120 to 2607 to 15.2
City of Garden PlainGarden Plain941120 to 1307 to 7.6
City of StaffordStafford936165 to 2709.6 to 15.8
Osage Co RWD 3Vassar900110 to 1506.4 to 8.8
Dickinson Co RWD 1Talmage879160 to 2309.4 to 13.5
City of SpearvilleSpearville796150 to 4408.8 to 25.7
City of TribuneTribune784180 to 22010.5 to 12.9
All 39 whose water varies

Source: Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Public Water Supply Section, 552 utilities, results from Jan. 5, 2015 to Sept. 2, 2026, read Oct. 18, 2026. Each sampling point is taken at its median; a figure is typical where every point falls in one band.

Bands are the U.S. Geological Survey’s, at 17.1 mg/L to the grain. People served is what each utility reports; where one sells water to another, the same people can be counted twice. How hardness is measured here.

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