Hard water in Abilene, TX

Tap water hardness
214mg/L
12.5gpg
Very hard

Reported by City of Abilene · May 2024

TX typical
112 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
1
Softener for 3 people
24k grain
Data
Utility report

The water in Abilene carries roughly 214 mg/L of dissolved calcium and magnesium, or 12.5 grains per gallon. That is very hard water. The number comes from City of Abilene, dated May 2024.

Abilene on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+TX typical 112Pecan Plantation: 26 mg/LPecan Plantation 26Granbury: 61 mg/LGranbury 61Breckenridge: 76 mg/LBreckenridge 76Weatherford: 88 mg/LWeatherford 88Graham: 89 mg/LGraham 89Mineral Wells: 91 mg/LMineral Wells 91Snyder: 101 mg/LSnyder 101Sweetwater: 209 mg/LSweetwater 209Vernon: 261 mg/LVernon 261San Angelo: 346 mg/LSan Angelo 346Abilene 214mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+TX 112Breckenridge: 76 mg/LBreckenrid. 76Graham: 89 mg/LGraham 89Mineral Wells: 91 mg/LMineral We. 91Snyder: 101 mg/LSnyder 101Sweetwater: 209 mg/LSweetwater 209San Angelo: 346 mg/LSan Angelo 346214 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

Abilene sits 102 mg/L above the typical Texas figure of 112. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 8 have softer water and 2 have harder. The range nearby runs from 26 mg/L in Pecan Plantation to 346 in San Angelo.

What 214 mg/L means at home

Scale forms fast here. Kettles and coffee makers need regular descaling, and showerheads clog unless you clean them.

Tank water heaters collect mineral sediment that insulates the water from the burner, so flushing the tank matters more than usual.

Dishes and glass shower doors spot easily. Soap scum and a dull film on hair or laundry are common complaints.

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 214 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.

Softener size for Abilene

3 people × 75 gallons a day × 12.5 gpg = 2,815 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 8 days.

Size it for your household

EPA record for Abilene's water system

City of Abilene · PWSID TX2210001

1 health-based violation since 2016

Serves about 130,501 people from surface water.

Health-based
1
Monitoring or reporting
2
Open now
0
20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026Surface Water Treatment Rule'16'18'20'22'24'26Surface Water Treatment Rule
Each dot is one health-based violation, placed at the start of its compliance period.
Contaminant or ruleViolationsPeriodStatus
Surface Water Treatment Rulefiltration and disinfection12021Resolved

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 Abilene water hard?

Yes. It measures about 214 mg/L (12.5 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as very hard.

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

About 12.5 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 214 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 12.5.

What size water softener do I need in Abilene?

For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 12.5 gpg works out to about 2,815 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 8 days.

Has the Abilene water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show 1 health-based violation for City of Abilene since 2016, involving Surface Water Treatment Rule. There were also 2 monitoring or reporting violations, which are about late or missing tests and notices.

Nearby cities

All 342 cities in Texas

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, May 14, 2024), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.