Hard water in Alton, TX
Reported by Sharyland WSC · June 2022
- TX typical
- 112 mg/L
- EPA health violations since 2016
- 1
- Softener for 3 people
- 24k grain
- Data
- Utility report
The water in Alton carries roughly 159 mg/L of dissolved calcium and magnesium, or 9.3 grains per gallon. That is hard water. The number comes from Sharyland WSC, dated June 2022. Reports for this system disagree, with values from 159 to 262 mg/L.
At 159 mg/L, Alton is 47 mg/L above the typical Texas figure of 112. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 1 has softer water and 9 have harder. The range nearby runs from 156 mg/L in Edinburg to 211 in McAllen.
What 159 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 159 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 × 9.3 gpg = 2,092 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 11 days.
EPA record for Alton's water system
1 health-based violation since 2016
Serves about 68,562 people from surface water.
- Health-based
- 1
- Monitoring or reporting
- 1
- Open now
- 0
TapWaterData ties Alton to this system. EPA's service-area records do not name Alton, so check the utility printed on your water bill.
| Contaminant or rule | Violations | Period | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorite | 1 | 2019 | 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 Alton water hard?
Yes. It measures about 159 mg/L (9.3 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as hard.
What is the water hardness in Alton in grains per gallon?
About 9.3 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 159 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 9.3.
What size water softener do I need in Alton?
For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 9.3 gpg works out to about 2,092 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 11 days.
Has the Alton water system had EPA violations?
EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Sharyland WSC since 2016, involving Chlorite. There were also 1 monitoring or reporting violation, which are about late or missing tests and notices.
Nearby cities
- La Homa185 mg/LVery hard
- Doffing199 mg/LVery hard
- Palmview198 mg/LVery hard
- Mission177 mg/LHard
- McAllen211 mg/LVery hard
- Penitas199 mg/LVery hard
- Salida del Sol Estates199 mg/LVery hard
- Edinburg156 mg/LHard
- La Joya179 mg/LHard
- Pharr210 mg/LVery hard
Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, June 28, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.