Wausau, WI water hardness

Tap water hardness
32mg/L
1.9gpg
Soft

Calculated from the utility's calcium and magnesium results · July 2022

WI typical
170 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
0
Data
Calculated from utility data

Wausau water measures 32 mg/L (1.9 gpg) of hardness, soft by USGS standards. TapWaterData worked it out from the calcium and magnesium levels the local utility reports (July 2022).

Wausau on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+WI typical 170Wisconsin Rapids: 62 mg/LWisconsin Rapids 62Rhinelander: 76 mg/LRhinelander 76Rib Mountain: 90 mg/LRib Mountain 90Merrill: 116 mg/LMerrill 116Weston: 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 260Wausau 32mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+WI 170Rib Mountain: 90 mg/LRib Mounta. 90Merrill: 116 mg/LMerrill 116Weston: 136 mg/LWeston 136Kronenwetter: 150 mg/LKronenwett. 150Rothschild: 157 mg/LRothschild 157Stevens Point: 173 mg/LStevens Po. 17332 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 32 mg/L, Wausau is 138 mg/L below the typical Wisconsin figure of 170. None of the 10 nearest cities we track has softer water. The range nearby runs from 62 mg/L in Wisconsin Rapids to 260 in Plover.

What 32 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 32 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 Wausau's water system

Wausau Waterworks · PWSID WI7370102

No health-based violations since 2016

Serves about 39,994 people from groundwater.

Health-based
0
Monitoring or reporting
0
Open now
0

EPA lists this system as serving Wausau.

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 Wausau water hard?

No. It measures about 32 mg/L (1.9 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as soft.

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

About 1.9 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 32 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 1.9.

Has the Wausau water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show no health-based violations for Wausau Waterworks since 2016.

Nearby cities

All 112 cities in Wisconsin

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (calculated from utility data, July 19, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.