How hard is the water in Bartow, FL?

Tap water hardness
67mg/L
3.9gpg
Moderately hardCounty estimate

County estimate from 3,314 water samples in Polk County · July 2026

FL typical
120 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
0
Softener for 3 people
24k grain
Data
County estimate

Water samples from around Bartow put hardness at about 67 mg/L (3.9 gpg), which would be moderately hard on the USGS scale. Treat this as a rough guide: it is the median of 3,314 samples taken across Polk County, mostly wells and streams, not a test of Bartow's treated tap water.

Bartow on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+FL typical 120Winter Haven: 67 mg/LWinter Haven 67Auburndale: 67 mg/LAuburndale 67Haines City: 67 mg/LHaines City 67Highland City: 137 mg/LHighland City 137Lakeland Highlands: 137 mg/LLakeland Highlands 137Medulla: 137 mg/LMedulla 137Crystal Lake: 137 mg/LCrystal Lake 137Fussels Corner: 137 mg/LFussels Corner 137Lakeland: 137 mg/LLakeland 137Plant City: 159 mg/LPlant City 159Bartow 67mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+FL 120Winter Haven: 67 mg/LWinter Hav. 67Highland City: 137 mg/LHighland C. 137Lakeland Highlands: 137 mg/LLakeland H. 137Medulla: 137 mg/LMedulla 137Crystal Lake: 137 mg/LCrystal La. 137Fussels Corner: 137 mg/LFussels Co. 13767 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

Bartow sits 53 mg/L below the typical Florida figure of 120. None of the 10 nearest cities we track has softer water. The range nearby runs from 67 mg/L in Winter Haven to 159 in Plant City.

What 67 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 Bartow

3 people × 75 gallons a day × 3.9 gpg = 884 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 27 days.

Size it for your household

EPA record for Bartow's water system

Bartow, City of · PWSID FL6530315

No health-based violations since 2016

Serves about 21,501 people from groundwater.

Health-based
0
Monitoring or reporting
9
Open now
0

EPA lists this system as serving Bartow.

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 Bartow water hard?

Somewhat. It measures about 67 mg/L (3.9 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as moderately hard.

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

About 3.9 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 67 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 3.9.

What size water softener do I need in Bartow?

For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 3.9 gpg works out to about 884 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 27 days.

Has the Bartow water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show no health-based violations for Bartow, City of since 2016. There were also 9 monitoring or reporting violations, which are about late or missing tests and notices.

Nearby cities

All 214 cities in Florida

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (county estimate, July 4, 2026), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.