Hard water in Sikeston, MO
Calculated from the utility's calcium and magnesium results · October 2020
- MO typical
- 121 mg/L
- EPA health violations since 2016
- 1
- Softener for 3 people
- 24k grain
- Data
- Calculated from utility data
The water in Sikeston carries roughly 163 mg/L of dissolved calcium and magnesium, or 9.5 grains per gallon. That is hard water. TapWaterData worked it out from the calcium and magnesium levels the local utility reports (October 2020).
Sikeston sits 42 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 21 mg/L in Caruthersville to 565 in Park Hills.
What 163 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 163 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 × 9.5 gpg = 2,146 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 11 days.
EPA record for Sikeston's water system
1 health-based violation since 2016
Serves about 16,291 people from groundwater.
- Health-based
- 1
- Monitoring or reporting
- 1
- Open now
- 0
EPA lists this system as serving Sikeston.
| Contaminant or rule | Violations | Period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groundwater Ruletreatment of well water | 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 Sikeston water hard?
Yes. It measures about 163 mg/L (9.5 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as hard.
What is the water hardness in Sikeston in grains per gallon?
About 9.5 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 163 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 9.5.
What size water softener do I need in Sikeston?
For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 9.5 gpg works out to about 2,146 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 11 days.
Has the Sikeston water system had EPA violations?
EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Sikeston PWS since 2016, involving Groundwater Rule. There were also 1 monitoring or reporting violation, which are about late or missing tests and notices.
Nearby cities
- Cape Girardeau237 mg/LVery hard
- Jackson268 mg/LVery hard
- Poplar Bluff165 mg/LHard
- Caruthersville21 mg/LSoft
- Kennett57 mg/LSoft
- Farmington276 mg/LVery hard
- Park Hills565 mg/LVery hard
- Bonne Terre339 mg/LVery hard
- De Soto312 mg/LVery hard
- Festus247 mg/LVery hard
Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (calculated from utility data, October 26, 2020), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.