Lyons Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
11.6 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
8.2
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.005 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
425.1 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.53
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 Lyons, your appliances are currently losing 26% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Lyons | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 3 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -65% |
| Washing Machine | 6.3 yrs | 12 yrs | -48% |
| Water Heater | 7.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -49% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Lyons compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Lyons, Illinois | 198.5 mg/L | 7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Summit, Illinois | 141 mg/L | 5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Brookfield, Illinois | 229 mg/L | 8 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Berwyn, Illinois | 150.5 mg/L | 5.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| La Grange Park, Illinois | 247.5 mg/L | 8.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Lyons compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Lyons | 198.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Lyons's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Lyons, Illinois, in Cook County — a Cook County village adjacent to Berwyn and Stickney on the Des Plaines River in the southwest Chicago suburbs — receives its water from Illinois American Water, drawing from the Des Plaines River through the northeast Illinois distribution.
The hard 198.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 425.1 mg/L reflect the Cook County supply's hard dolomitic character — the Silurian Niagaran Dolomite and Devonian Waukegan Formation are calcareous-dolomitic formations in the Illinois Dolomite Plateau, and the Des Plaines River acquires moderate dissolved mineral content from the southwest Cook County dolomite outcrop corridor (compare Berwyn IL: 194/414 in Cook County comparable; Stickney IL: 202/436 in Cook County comparable; Lyons consistent hard from the same Cook County Des Plaines River Silurian dolomitic supply). The Des Plaines River — Silurian Niagaran Dolomite (highly dolomitic — primary hardness contributor), Devonian Waukegan Formation (calcareous — secondary contributor), and Quaternary Des Plaines River alluvium (calcareous — TDS contributor).
At 198.5 mg/L with TDS 425, Lyons' water is hard — scale builds in appliances. Quarterly descaling is appropriate. The PFAS level of 7.0 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter. Review Illinois American Water's annual water quality report.
Geology & Source: Lyons in Cook County draws from the Illinois American Water on the Des Plaines River supply (Cook County, northeast Illinois) — the Des Plaines watershed draws from Silurian Niagaran Dolomite (highly dolomitic) and Devonian Waukegan Formation (calcareous) — Illinois Cook County Des Plaines River Silurian dolomitic supply produces hard water at 198.5 mg/L with TDS 425.1 mg/L.