Auburn Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5.8 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
197.9 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.26
energy & soap waste
Source: USGS Water Quality Portal · Updated 2026
0–60
mg/L
Soft
61–120
mg/L
Moderately Hard
121–180
mg/L
Hard
180+
mg/L
Very Hard
Appliance Damage Report
In Auburn, your appliances are currently losing 13% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Auburn | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.3 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -26% |
| Washing Machine | 10 yrs | 12 yrs | -17% |
| Water Heater | 11.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -22% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Auburn compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Auburn, Alabama | 98.5 mg/L | 5.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Opelika, Alabama | 48 mg/L | 3.6 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Phenix City, Alabama | 119 mg/L | 6.2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Columbus, Georgia | 131 mg/L | 7.6 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Alexander City, Alabama | 43 mg/L | 3.4 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Auburn compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Auburn | 98.5 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Auburn's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Auburn, Alabama, the Lee County seat — home of Auburn University, one of the SEC's landmark football programs, and the Tigers in the 'Plains of Auburn' — draws its municipal water supply from the Tallapoosa River watershed via Auburn Water Department, treating Tallapoosa River reservoir water (Yates Lake and Harris Lake on the Tallapoosa River in Elmore County) for the Auburn–Opelika area. Water hardness in Auburn measures 98.5 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Auburn's soft supply reflects the Tallapoosa River's Piedmont and Blue Ridge origin. The Tallapoosa River above the Harris and Yates reservoirs drains: the Alabama Piedmont crystalline terrain (Precambrian–Ordovician Wedowee Group schist, phyllite, and paragneiss — calcium-poor metamorphic rocks of the Alabama–Georgia Piedmont); the Hillabee Greenstone (Ordovician mafic volcanic arc — calcium-poor); and the Talladega Slate Belt (Ordovician–Silurian Hillabee and Talladega Group — phyllite, slate, and quartzite — siliceous). These Alabama Piedmont crystalline formations dissolve slowly, producing naturally soft reservoir water. The moderate 98.5 mg/L reflects trace calcareous input from minor marble and calcsilicate schist lenses in the Piedmont metamorphic sequence.
With hardness at 98.5 mg/L, Auburn residents enjoy moderately soft water with minimal scale challenges. Auburn Water Department consistently delivers water meeting all Alabama ADEM and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: River supply from the Tallapoosa River (Yates Lake and Harris Lake) via the Auburn Water Department — the Alabama Piedmont–Valley and Ridge (Precambrian–Ordovician Piedmont crystalline, Wedowee Group metasediments, and the Talladega Slate Belt) drainage of Lee County; moderately soft supply at 98.5 mg/L in Lee County.