How hard is the water in Bessemer, AL?

Tap water hardness
113mg/L
6.6gpg
Moderately hard

Reported by Warrior River Water Authority · June 2022

AL typical
73 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
1
Softener for 3 people
24k grain
Data
Utility report

The water in Bessemer carries roughly 113 mg/L of dissolved calcium and magnesium, or 6.6 grains per gallon. That is moderately hard water. The number comes from Warrior River Water Authority, dated June 2022.

Bessemer on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+AL typical 73Homewood: 77 mg/LHomewood 77Forestdale: 77 mg/LForestdale 77Birmingham: 77 mg/LBirmingham 77Mountain Brook: 77 mg/LMountain Brook 77Irondale: 79 mg/LIrondale 79Hueytown: 113 mg/LHueytown 113Pelham: 169 mg/LPelham 169Helena: 190 mg/LHelena 190Alabaster: 193 mg/LAlabaster 193Montevallo: 263 mg/LMontevallo 263Bessemer 113mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+AL 73Homewood: 77 mg/LHomewood 77Forestdale: 77 mg/LForestdale 77Hueytown: 113 mg/LHueytown 113Pelham: 169 mg/LPelham 169Helena: 190 mg/LHelena 190Alabaster: 193 mg/LAlabaster 193113 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

Bessemer sits 40 mg/L above the typical Alabama figure of 73. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 5 have softer water and 4 have harder. The range nearby runs from 77 mg/L in Homewood to 263 in Montevallo.

What 113 mg/L means at home

You may see faint white spots on glasses and shower doors after the water dries.

Scale builds up slowly. A kettle or coffee maker needs descaling now and then, maybe every few months.

Hardness is not a health problem, and EPA sets no limit for it. It is a matter of scale and soap.

What to do about it

Optional. Plenty of households at this level live with it and descale the kettle now and then.

Water softener

Worth a look if spots on glass bother you, or if your tankless water heater manual asks for softer water.

Carbon filter

Improves taste and removes chlorine. It leaves calcium and magnesium in place.

Softener size for Bessemer

3 people × 75 gallons a day × 6.6 gpg = 1,487 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 16 days.

Size it for your household

EPA record for Bessemer's water system

Warrior River Water Authority · PWSID AL0000763

1 health-based violation since 2016

Serves about 38,700 people from surface water.

Health-based
1
Monitoring or reporting
4
Open now
1
20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)'16'18'20'22'24'26Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)
Each dot is one health-based violation, placed at the start of its compliance period.
Contaminant or ruleViolationsPeriodStatus
Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)a disinfection byproduct12024Resolved

Health-based means a contaminant above its legal limit or a missed treatment step. Monitoring and reporting violations are late or missing tests and notices. Source: EPA ECHO, 2026Q3 export, violations with periods starting 2016 or later. Full EPA record.

Questions

Is Bessemer water hard?

Somewhat. It measures about 113 mg/L (6.6 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as moderately hard.

What is the water hardness in Bessemer in grains per gallon?

About 6.6 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 113 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 6.6.

What size water softener do I need in Bessemer?

For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 6.6 gpg works out to about 1,487 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 16 days.

Has the Bessemer water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Warrior River Water Authority since 2016, involving Total trihalomethanes (TTHM). There were also 4 monitoring or reporting violations, which are about late or missing tests and notices.

Nearby cities

All 91 cities in Alabama

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, June 1, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.