Hampstead, NC water hardness

Tap water hardness
27mg/L
1.6gpg
Soft

Reported by Hampstead Pines · December 2023

NC typical
31 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
5
Data
Utility report

The water in Hampstead carries roughly 27 mg/L of dissolved calcium and magnesium, or 1.6 grains per gallon. That is soft water. The number comes from Hampstead Pines, dated December 2023.

Hampstead on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+NC typical 31Wilmington: 21 mg/LWilmington 21Leland: 49 mg/LLeland 49Boiling Spring Lakes: 49 mg/LBoiling Spring Lakes 49St. James: 49 mg/LSt. James 49Holly Ridge: 52 mg/LHolly Ridge 52Jacksonville: 52 mg/LJacksonville 52Half Moon: 52 mg/LHalf Moon 52Piney Green: 52 mg/LPiney Green 52Oak Island: 61 mg/LOak Island 61Carolina Beach: 180 mg/LCarolina Beach 180Hampstead 27mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+NC 31Wilmington: 21 mg/LWilmington 21Leland: 49 mg/LLeland 49Boiling Spring Lakes: 49 mg/LBoiling Sp. 49Holly Ridge: 52 mg/LHolly Ridge 52Jacksonville: 52 mg/LJacksonvil. 52Carolina Beach: 180 mg/LCarolina B. 18027 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 27 mg/L, Hampstead is close to the typical North Carolina figure of 31 mg/L. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 1 has softer water and 9 have harder. The range nearby runs from 21 mg/L in Wilmington to 180 in Carolina Beach.

What 27 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 27 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 Hampstead's water system

Hampstead Pines · PWSID NC7071022

5 health-based violations since 2016

Serves about 178 people from groundwater.

Health-based
5
Monitoring or reporting
12
Open now
0
20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026Haloacetic acids (HAA5)'16'18'20'22'24'26Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Each dot is one health-based violation, placed at the start of its compliance period.
Contaminant or ruleViolationsPeriodStatus
Haloacetic acids (HAA5)a disinfection byproduct52017–2019Resolved

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 Hampstead water hard?

No. It measures about 27 mg/L (1.6 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as soft.

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

About 1.6 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 27 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 1.6.

Has the Hampstead water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show 5 health-based violations for Hampstead Pines since 2016, involving Haloacetic acids (HAA5). There were also 12 monitoring or reporting violations, which are about late or missing tests and notices.

Nearby cities

All 101 cities in North Carolina

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, December 21, 2023), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.