Pittsburg Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
24.7 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.008 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
1383.8 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 Pittsburg, your appliances are currently losing 45% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Pittsburg | 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 Pittsburg compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Pittsburg, Kansas | 423 mg/L | 5.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Joplin, Missouri | 219.5 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Carthage, Missouri | 247 mg/L | 7.4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Miami, Oklahoma | 317 mg/L | 5.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | reservoir |
| Bella Vista, Arkansas | 181 mg/L | 5.1 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Pittsburg compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Pittsburg | 423 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Pittsburg home
Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →
What Makes Pittsburg's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Pittsburg, Kansas, in Crawford County — the largest city in southeastern Kansas, home of Pittsburg State University, the commercial hub of the Cherokee Strip coal mining district, a historic mining and industrial city — receives its municipal water from Pittsburg Water Utilities, which draws from deep groundwater wells in Crawford County's Pennsylvanian aquifer system — the Cherokee and Marmaton Group formations of the southeastern Kansas coalfield region.
The extremely hard 423 mg/L hardness and very high TDS of 1383.8 mg/L place Pittsburg among the hardest municipal water supplies in the United States — comparable to Gardner KS (404 mg/L), Liberal KS (384.5 mg/L), Murphy TX (428 mg/L), all reflecting the extreme Pennsylvanian and Permian evaporite geology of the central and southeastern Kansas-Oklahoma border. The Crawford County groundwater accesses Pennsylvanian Cherokee Group aquifer zones (marine limestone interbedded with shale and coal — highly calcareous) and the underlying Pennsylvanian Marmaton Group (more limestone-rich). The southeastern Kansas geology is also influenced by the Permian Sumner Group evaporite sequence (gypsum and anhydrite — same as Gardner) to the north and west, contributing sulfate-rich calcium to the regional groundwater. Coal mining in the historic Cherokee Strip coal district has also added iron and mineral loading to local groundwater.
At 423 mg/L with TDS 1384 mg/L, Pittsburg's water is in the highest extreme hardness category. A whole-house water softener is essential and kitchen reverse osmosis filtration for drinking water is strongly recommended — TDS of 1384 mg/L is nearly three times the EPA aesthetic guideline. The PFAS level of 5.7 ppt warrants RO filtration — the Crawford County industrial and agricultural chemical corridor and the southeastern Kansas mining legacy contribute to the PFAS background.
Geology & Source: Pittsburg in Crawford County draws from Pittsburg Water Utilities on the Pennsylvanian Cherokee Group aquifer (marine limestone, shale, coal cyclothem) and Marmaton Group limestone in southeastern Kansas — the Cherokee Strip coalfield bedrock with Permian evaporite influence — Pennsylvanian carbonate cyclothem and Permian evaporite aquifer produces extremely hard water at 423 mg/L with very high TDS 1384 mg/L in this Crawford County Kansas city.