Hard water in Bismarck, ND
Calculated from the utility's calcium and magnesium results · December 2020
- ND typical
- 133 mg/L
- EPA health violations since 2016
- 0
- Softener for 3 people
- 24k grain
- Data
- Calculated from utility data
Tap water in Bismarck 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, Bismarck is close to the typical North Dakota figure of 133 mg/L. Of the 5 nearest cities we track, 1 has softer water and 4 have harder. The range nearby runs from 79 mg/L in Fargo to 392 in West Fargo.
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 = 1,753 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 13 days.
EPA record for Bismarck's water system
No health-based violations since 2016
Serves about 72,417 people from surface water.
- Health-based
- 0
- Monitoring or reporting
- 0
- Open now
- 0
EPA lists this system as serving Bismarck.
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 Bismarck 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 Bismarck 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 Bismarck?
For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 7.8 gpg works out to about 1,753 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 13 days.
Has the Bismarck water system had EPA violations?
EPA records show no health-based violations for Bismarck City of since 2016.
Nearby cities
- Mandan337 mg/LVery hard
- Dickinson320 mg/LVery hard
- West Fargo392 mg/LVery hard
- Fargo79 mg/LModerately hard
- Grand Forks390 mg/LVery hard
Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (calculated from utility data, December 30, 2020), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.