El Mirage Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
25.7 grains per gallon
Source
mixed
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.009 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
1375.6 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$1.00
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 El Mirage, your appliances are currently losing 45% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In El Mirage | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -82% |
| Washing Machine | 3 yrs | 12 yrs | -75% |
| Water Heater | 5 yrs | 15 yrs | -67% |
Regional Water Comparison
How El Mirage compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ El Mirage, Arizona | 440 mg/L | 5.8 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Surprise, Arizona | 342 mg/L | 4.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Sun City West, Arizona | 314.5 mg/L | 4.3 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Sun City, Arizona | 314 mg/L | 4.3 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Peoria, Arizona | 316 mg/L | 4.4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
National Benchmark
How El Mirage compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ El Mirage | 440 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes El Mirage's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
El Mirage, Arizona, in Maricopa County — a major west Phoenix metro community (El Mirage is a significant west Maricopa County community in the west Phoenix metro area — a rapidly growing community in the Surprise–El Mirage–Youngtown west Valley corridor), a diverse Maricopa County community with a significant Latino-American majority population and a significant retirement and mobile home community (the west Valley Arizona communities have historically been major retirement destinations), adjacent to Luke Air Force Base (Luke AFB — the largest F-35 training base in the world, training pilots for the US Air Force and multiple allied nations — is a major economic force in the west Valley Maricopa County area), and part of the explosive west Phoenix Valley growth corridor — draws its municipal water supply from the West Salt River Valley Alluvial Aquifer via the City of El Mirage Water Division. Water hardness in El Mirage measures 440 mg/L — classified as extremely hard.
El Mirage's extremely hard supply — among the hardest municipal supplies in the United States — reflects the west Phoenix Valley's highly calcareous desert alluvial aquifer. The West Salt River Valley alluvial aquifer at El Mirage draws from: the Quaternary Valley Fill (highly calcareous alluvial desert basin fill — the accumulation of calcareous desert alluvium leaching the abundant caliche carbonate horizon of the Sonoran Desert; caliche is the calcium carbonate hardpan that forms abundantly in arid southwest US desert soils and contributes extreme dissolved calcium to groundwater). City of El Mirage applies minimal softening, producing the extreme 440 mg/L.
At 440 mg/L, El Mirage residents face the most severe hard water challenges in the US. Water softeners are essentially a necessity. City of El Mirage Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Arizona ADEQ and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Groundwater from the West Salt River Valley Alluvial Aquifer via the City of El Mirage Water Division — the Maricopa County west Phoenix metro corridor (Quaternary calcareous Valley Fill alluvium — the highly calcareous west Phoenix Valley desert alluvial aquifer; with caliche-bearing Quaternary desert basin fill; El Mirage supply with limited softening); extremely hard supply at 440 mg/L in Maricopa County.