Elko, NV water hardness

Tap water hardness
28mg/L
1.6gpg
Soft

Calculated from the utility's calcium and magnesium results · June 2022

NV typical
232 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
0
Data
Calculated from utility data

Elko water measures 28 mg/L (1.6 gpg) of hardness, soft by USGS standards. TapWaterData worked it out from the calcium and magnesium levels the local utility reports (June 2022).

Elko on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+NV typical 232Spring Creek: 31 mg/LSpring Creek 31Silver Springs: 48 mg/LSilver Springs 48Indian Hills: 87 mg/LIndian Hills 87Spanish Springs: 102 mg/LSpanish Springs 102Sparks: 102 mg/LSparks 102Sun Valley: 102 mg/LSun Valley 102Reno: 102 mg/LReno 102Carson City: 120 mg/LCarson City 120Fernley: 210 mg/LFernley 210Dayton: 234 mg/LDayton 234Elko 28mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+NV 232Spring Creek: 31 mg/LSpring Cre. 31Silver Springs: 48 mg/LSilver Spr. 48Spanish Springs: 102 mg/LSpanish Sp. 102Sparks: 102 mg/LSparks 102Fernley: 210 mg/LFernley 210Dayton: 234 mg/LDayton 23428 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 28 mg/L, Elko is 204 mg/L below the typical Nevada figure of 232. None of the 10 nearest cities we track has softer water. The range nearby runs from 31 mg/L in Spring Creek to 234 in Dayton.

What 28 mg/L means at home

Soap and shampoo lather with very little product. Kettles and showerheads stay mostly free of white crust.

Some people notice that soap feels slow to rinse off in soft water. That slippery feel is normal and harmless.

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

Nothing, as far as hardness goes. At 28 mg/L a softener would have almost nothing to remove.

Carbon filter

If the water tastes of chlorine, a pitcher or faucet carbon filter takes care of that. It does not change hardness.

EPA record for Elko's water system

Elko City of · PWSID NV0000272

No health-based violations since 2016

Serves about 23,000 people from groundwater.

Health-based
0
Monitoring or reporting
8
Open now
0

EPA lists this system as serving Elko.

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 Elko water hard?

No. It measures about 28 mg/L (1.6 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as soft.

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

About 1.6 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 28 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 1.6.

Has the Elko water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show no health-based violations for Elko City of since 2016. There were also 8 monitoring or reporting violations, which are about late or missing tests and notices.

Nearby cities

All 19 cities in Nevada

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (calculated from utility data, June 14, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.