Clive Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
16.9 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.006 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
667.2 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.77
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 Clive, your appliances are currently losing 39% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Clive | 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 Clive compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Clive, Iowa | 290 mg/L | 6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Urbandale, Iowa | 238 mg/L | 5 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| West Des Moines, Iowa | 133.5 mg/L | 2.9 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Johnston, Iowa | 324.5 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Des Moines, Iowa | 214 mg/L | 4.5 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Clive compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Clive | 290 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Clive home
Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →
What Makes Clive's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Clive, Iowa, in Polk County — a Polk County city adjacent to West Des Moines and Urbandale in the western Des Moines suburb — receives its municipal water from Des Moines Water Works (DMWW), drawing from the Raccoon River and Des Moines River (Polk County) through the central Iowa water treatment system.
The extremely hard 290 mg/L hardness and high TDS of 667.2 mg/L reflect the central Iowa Des Moines Water Works supply's intensely calcareous character — consistent with other DMWW-served communities (Des Moines: 285 mg/L; West Des Moines: ~290 mg/L). The Raccoon River (Polk County) drains the Iowa Drift Plain — Pennsylvanian Cherokee Group (calcareous coal-measure shale — primary hardness contributor), calcareous Pleistocene Wisconsin Till (glacially ground Pennsylvanian and Mississippian carbonate — dominant surface hardness contributor), and Mississippian St. Louis Limestone (calcareous — bedrock leaching contribution). The concentrated calcareous Pennsylvanian and glacial till produces the extreme Des Moines metro supply.
At 290 mg/L with TDS 667, Clive's water is extremely hard. A water softener is essential. Scale builds rapidly on all surfaces, appliance lifespans are drastically shortened, and water heaters require descaling every 6 months. The PFAS level of 6.0 ppt warrants a certified reverse osmosis drinking water filter — the Polk County central Iowa agricultural-industrial corridor, the Raccoon River nitrate and PFAS loading from Iowa agricultural drainage, and the Des Moines metro industrial complex contribute to Clive's readings.
Geology & Source: Clive in Polk County draws from Des Moines Water Works on the Des Moines River and Raccoon River (Polk County, central Iowa) — the Raccoon drains Pennsylvanian Cherokee Group calcareous and calcareous Pleistocene Wisconsin Till — Iowa Polk County Des Moines-Raccoon River calcareous watershed produces extremely hard water at 290 mg/L with TDS 667.2 mg/L.