Sulphur Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
4.4 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
7.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.003 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
142 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.20
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 Sulphur, your appliances are currently losing 10% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Sulphur | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 7.1 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -16% |
| Washing Machine | 10.8 yrs | 12 yrs | -10% |
| Water Heater | 12.6 yrs | 15 yrs | -16% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Sulphur compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Sulphur, Louisiana | 76 mg/L | 8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
| Lake Charles, Louisiana | 93 mg/L | 9.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
| Orange, Texas | 161 mg/L | 6.5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
| Groves, Texas | 409.5 mg/L | 11.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Port Neches, Texas | 259.5 mg/L | 8.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
National Benchmark
How Sulphur compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Sulphur | 76 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Sulphur's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Sulphur, Louisiana, in Calcasieu Parish — a Calcasieu Parish city adjacent to Lake Charles in the southwestern Louisiana petrochemical and industrial corridor, named for the historically significant sulphur mining operations (the Freeport Sulphur Company — Frasch process sulphur extraction from the Gulf Coast salt dome caprock) — receives its municipal water from the City of Sulphur Water Department or Calcasieu Parish Water District, which draws from the Sabine River intake or the Chicot Aquifer (shallow Pleistocene sand aquifer of the southwestern Louisiana coastal plain) through the Calcasieu Parish supply system.
The very soft 76 mg/L hardness and low TDS of 142 mg/L reflect the Calcasieu-Sabine corridor's Gulf Coastal Plain aquifer-surface supply character. The Sabine River at the Louisiana-Texas border drains east Texas and west Louisiana's Tertiary coastal plain sediment, producing soft to moderately soft water typical of Gulf Coast river systems. The Chicot Aquifer (Pleistocene deltaic sand) in Calcasieu Parish is similar in character to the Hammond-Tangipahoa Chicot system — unconsolidated coastal plain sand with low mineral contact producing soft, low-mineral water.
At 76 mg/L, Sulphur's water is very soft — comfortable for household use. Scale forms slowly, soap lathers well, and appliances operate efficiently. Semi-annual descaling is adequate. The PFAS level of 8.0 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — the Lake Charles petrochemical complex (one of the largest petrochemical manufacturing clusters in the US — PFAS industrial sources), Barksdale Air Force Base (Bossier City, northwestern Louisiana — a major AFFF user in the Red River basin), and the Calcasieu Parish industrial corridor's PFAS legacy contribute significantly to Sulphur's elevated PFAS readings.
Geology & Source: Sulphur in Calcasieu Parish draws from the Sulphur Water Utilities or Calcasieu Parish Water treating the Sabine River or the Chicot Aquifer — the Calcasieu-Sabine basin accesses Pleistocene-Miocene deltaic sand aquifer beneath the southwestern Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain — Pleistocene-Miocene Gulf Coast deltaic sand aquifer produces very soft water at 76 mg/L with low TDS 142 mg/L in this Calcasieu Parish Louisiana city.