Hard water in Kirksville, MO
Calculated from the utility's calcium and magnesium results · December 2020
- MO typical
- 121 mg/L
- EPA health violations since 2016
- 3
- Softener for 3 people
- 24k grain
- Data
- Calculated from utility data
Tap water in Kirksville has about 133 mg/L of hardness, which is 7.8 grains per gallon. On the USGS scale that counts as hard. TapWaterData worked it out from the calcium and magnesium levels the local utility reports (December 2020).
At 133 mg/L, Kirksville is 12 mg/L above the typical Missouri figure of 121. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 2 have softer water and 8 have harder. The range nearby runs from 73 mg/L in Macon to 289 in Fulton.
What 133 mg/L means at home
Expect white crust on faucets and showerheads, plus spots on dishes that come out of the dishwasher.
Kettles collect scale quickly. Water heaters build up sediment at the bottom of the tank, which makes them work harder over time.
Soap and detergent need a little more to lather, and soap scum shows up in the tub.
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
At 133 mg/L most of the trouble is scale, and only a few things deal with it.
Ion-exchange water softener
The standard whole-house fix. It swaps calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium and needs salt plus a drain. Size it with the calculator below.
Salt-free conditioner
No salt and no drain line. It changes how minerals form scale instead of removing them, so water still tests hard.
Reverse osmosis or carbon filter
Under-sink reverse osmosis removes minerals from drinking water only. Plain carbon filters improve taste but do not soften.
3 people × 75 gallons a day × 7.8 gpg = 1,748 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 13 days.
EPA record for Kirksville's water system
3 health-based violations since 2016
Serves about 17,566 people from surface water.
- Health-based
- 3
- Monitoring or reporting
- 0
- Open now
- 0
EPA lists this system as serving Kirksville.
| Contaminant or rule | Violations | Period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)a disinfection byproduct | 2 | 2022 | Resolved |
| Total organic carbon removaltreatment requirement | 1 | 2017 | Resolved |
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 Kirksville water hard?
Yes. It measures about 133 mg/L (7.8 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as hard.
What is the water hardness in Kirksville in grains per gallon?
About 7.8 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 133 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 7.8.
What size water softener do I need in Kirksville?
For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 7.8 gpg works out to about 1,748 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 13 days.
Has the Kirksville water system had EPA violations?
EPA records show 3 health-based violations for Kirksville PWS since 2016, involving Total trihalomethanes (TTHM), Total organic carbon removal.
Nearby cities
- Macon73 mg/LModerately hard
- Moberly135 mg/LHard
- Chillicothe108 mg/LModerately hard
- Hannibal209 mg/LVery hard
- Marshall143 mg/LHard
- Columbia190 mg/LVery hard
- Cameron143 mg/LHard
- Richmond190 mg/LVery hard
- Fulton289 mg/LVery hard
- Excelsior Springs154 mg/LHard
Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (calculated from utility data, December 14, 2020), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.