Newton Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
17.1 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.005 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
821.8 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.78
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 Newton, your appliances are currently losing 39% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Newton | 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 Newton compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Newton, Kansas | 292.5 mg/L | 4.2 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Wichita, Kansas | 334.5 mg/L | 4.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Andover, Kansas | 172 mg/L | 2.8 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
| McPherson, Kansas | 162 mg/L | 2.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
| Derby, Kansas | 196 mg/L | 3.1 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
National Benchmark
How Newton compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Newton | 292.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Newton's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Newton, Kansas, in Harvey County — the Harvey County seat in south-central Kansas, a historic Mennonite settlement city and former cattle drive terminus (the "First Cowtown" of the Chisholm Trail), adjacent to Wichita in the Arkansas River valley — receives its municipal water from the City of Newton Water Division, drawing from the Little Arkansas River or Harvey County groundwater wells in the Great Plains alluvial aquifer.
The very hard 292.5 mg/L hardness and very high TDS of 821.8 mg/L reflect the Harvey County Great Plains water's extreme Permian Red Bed evaporite geology. The Little Arkansas River and the Harvey County alluvial aquifer overlie the Permian Red Bed sequence (Wellington Formation — halite-anhydrite; Hutchinson Salt Member — massive salt and gypsum; Ninnescah Shale — calcareous). Dissolution of the Permian gypsum and carbonate by the Great Plains alluvial groundwater produces the very hard, very high-TDS water characteristic of south-central Kansas. The Harvey County aquifer is one of the most mineralized in the Kansas alluvial plain, rivaling the extreme values of central Oklahoma and the Western Kansas Permian Basin.
At 292.5 mg/L with TDS 822 mg/L, Newton's water is very hard. A whole-house water softener is strongly recommended and kitchen reverse osmosis filtration is advisable given the TDS. The PFAS level of 4.2 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — McConnell Air Force Base (Wichita, Sedgwick County — adjacent to Harvey County, documented AFFF user in the Little Arkansas watershed), and the central Kansas agricultural-industrial PFAS background contribute to Newton's readings.
Geology & Source: Newton in Harvey County draws from the Newton Water Division on the Little Arkansas River or Harvey County groundwater (Great Plains alluvial aquifer over Permian Red Bed evaporite-carbonate) — the Little Arkansas drains the Great Plains calcareous terrain; Permian Red Bed gypsum dissolution adds extreme sulfate and calcium — Great Plains Permian Red Bed aquifer produces very hard water at 292.5 mg/L with very high TDS 822 mg/L in this Harvey County Kansas city.