How hard is the water in Merrill, WI?

Tap water hardness
116mg/L
6.8gpg
Moderately hard

Reported by Merrill Waterworks · August 2022

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

Merrill water measures 116 mg/L (6.8 gpg) of hardness, moderately hard by USGS standards. The number comes from Merrill Waterworks, dated August 2022.

Merrill on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+WI typical 170Wausau: 32 mg/LWausau 32Wisconsin Rapids: 62 mg/LWisconsin Rapids 62Rhinelander: 76 mg/LRhinelander 76Rib Mountain: 90 mg/LRib Mountain 90Weston: 136 mg/LWeston 136Kronenwetter: 150 mg/LKronenwetter 150Rothschild: 157 mg/LRothschild 157Stevens Point: 173 mg/LStevens Point 173Marshfield: 249 mg/LMarshfield 249Plover: 260 mg/LPlover 260Merrill 116mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+WI 170Wausau: 32 mg/LWausau 32Rhinelander: 76 mg/LRhinelander 76Rib Mountain: 90 mg/LRib Mounta. 90Weston: 136 mg/LWeston 136Kronenwetter: 150 mg/LKronenwett. 150Rothschild: 157 mg/LRothschild 157116 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 116 mg/L, Merrill is 54 mg/L below the typical Wisconsin figure of 170. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 4 have softer water and 6 have harder. The range nearby runs from 32 mg/L in Wausau to 260 in Plover.

What 116 mg/L means at home

You may see faint white spots on glasses and shower doors after the water dries.

Scale builds up slowly. A kettle or coffee maker needs descaling now and then, maybe every few months.

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

Optional. Plenty of households at this level live with it and descale the kettle now and then.

Water softener

Worth a look if spots on glass bother you, or if your tankless water heater manual asks for softer water.

Carbon filter

Improves taste and removes chlorine. It leaves calcium and magnesium in place.

Softener size for Merrill

3 people × 75 gallons a day × 6.8 gpg = 1,526 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 15 days.

Size it for your household

EPA record for Merrill's water system

Merrill Waterworks · PWSID WI7350123

1 health-based violation since 2016

Serves about 9,661 people from groundwater.

Health-based
1
Monitoring or reporting
1
Open now
0
20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026Total Coliform Rule'16'18'20'22'24'26Total Coliform Rule
Each dot is one health-based violation, placed at the start of its compliance period.
Contaminant or ruleViolationsPeriodStatus
Total Coliform Rulebacteria12025Resolved

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 Merrill water hard?

Somewhat. It measures about 116 mg/L (6.8 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as moderately hard.

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

About 6.8 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 116 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 6.8.

What size water softener do I need in Merrill?

For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 6.8 gpg works out to about 1,526 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 15 days.

Has the Merrill water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Merrill Waterworks since 2016, involving Total Coliform Rule. There were also 1 monitoring or reporting violation, which are about late or missing tests and notices.

Nearby cities

All 112 cities in Wisconsin

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, August 31, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.