Alexandria Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Alexandria, Louisiana, the Rapides Parish seat in central Louisiana — the largest city in central Louisiana, an important Red River Valley commercial and military hub (Fort Polk/Fort Johnson is nearby), home of Louisiana College and the Rapides Regional Medical Center, and the geographic center of Louisiana — draws its municipal water supply from the Red River via the City of Alexandria Public Works Water Division. Water hardness in Alexandria measures 82.5 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.

Alexandria's moderate softness reflects the Red River supply characteristics in the central Louisiana Coastal Plain. The Red River at Alexandria carries relatively soft water from: the Texas Oklahoma Prairie watershed (moderately calcareous, but heavily diluted by the large Red River drainage); the Central Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain (Tertiary Fleming Formation and Cretaceous Navarro Group — calcareous-moderate, but the Red River's large drainage area dilutes the mineral content); and the Bayou Rapides Louisiana tributaries (calcareous-moderate local alluvial drainage). The City of Alexandria applies effective water treatment, producing the moderate 82.5 mg/L — relatively soft for a southern city.

With hardness at 82.5 mg/L, Alexandria residents enjoy moderately soft water with minimal scale challenges. City of Alexandria Public Works Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Louisiana DEQ and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.