How hard is the water in Orlando, FL?

Tap water hardness
120mg/L
7.0gpg
Moderately hard

Reported by Orlando Utilities Commission (7 WPS) · September 2025

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

Tap water in Orlando has about 120 mg/L of hardness, which is 7.0 grains per gallon. On the USGS scale that counts as moderately hard. The number comes from Orlando Utilities Commission (7 WPS), dated September 2025.

Orlando on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+FL typical 120Meadow Woods: 99 mg/LMeadow Woods 99Southchase: 99 mg/LSouthchase 99Belle Isle: 111 mg/LBelle Isle 111Rio Pinar: 111 mg/LRio Pinar 111Union Park: 111 mg/LUnion Park 111Alafaya: 111 mg/LAlafaya 111Winter Park: 116 mg/LWinter Park 116Conway: 120 mg/LConway 120Pine Castle: 120 mg/LPine Castle 120Azalea Park: 120 mg/LAzalea Park 120Orlando 120mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+FL 120Meadow Woods: 99 mg/LMeadow Woo. 99Belle Isle: 111 mg/LBelle Isle 111Rio Pinar: 111 mg/LRio Pinar 111Conway: 120 mg/LConway 120Pine Castle: 120 mg/LPine Castle 120Azalea Park: 120 mg/LAzalea Park 120120 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

At 120 mg/L, Orlando is close to the typical Florida figure of 120 mg/L. None of the 10 nearest cities we track has harder water. The range nearby runs from 99 mg/L in Meadow Woods to 120 in Conway.

What 120 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 Orlando

3 people × 75 gallons a day × 7.0 gpg = 1,577 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 15 days.

Size it for your household

EPA record for Orlando's water system

Orlando Utilities Commission · PWSID FL3480962

1 health-based violation since 2016

Serves about 536,466 people from groundwater.

Health-based
1
Monitoring or reporting
0
Open now
0
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 byproduct12019Resolved

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 Orlando water hard?

Somewhat. It measures about 120 mg/L (7.0 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as moderately hard.

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

About 7.0 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 120 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 7.0.

What size water softener do I need in Orlando?

For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 7.0 gpg works out to about 1,577 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 15 days.

Has the Orlando water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Orlando Utilities Commission since 2016, involving Total trihalomethanes (TTHM).

Nearby cities

All 214 cities in Florida

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, September 24, 2025), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.