Faribault Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
6.7 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.003 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
199.4 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.31
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 Faribault, your appliances are currently losing 15% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Faribault | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 5.8 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -32% |
| Washing Machine | 9.3 yrs | 12 yrs | -22% |
| Water Heater | 11 yrs | 15 yrs | -27% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Faribault compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Faribault, Minnesota | 115.5 mg/L | 3.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
| Northfield, Minnesota | 155.5 mg/L | 4.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Owatonna, Minnesota | 236.5 mg/L | 6.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Lakeville, Minnesota | 117.5 mg/L | 3.9 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
| Farmington, Minnesota | 118 mg/L | 3.9 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Faribault compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Faribault | 115.5 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Faribault's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Faribault, Minnesota, in Rice County in southern Minnesota on the Straight River — a historic community once famous as the Schools City for its array of state educational institutions — receives its municipal water from the City of Faribault Water Division, drawing from the Straight River through a surface water intake in Rice County. The Straight River is a Cannon River tributary flowing through the gently rolling farmland and wooded valleys of southern Minnesota before joining the Cannon near Northfield.
The moderately soft 115.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 199.4 mg/L reflect the Straight River's moderate carbonate character in the Rice County watershed. The Cannon River basin drains southern Minnesota's Devonian and Ordovician carbonate formations — the Prairie du Chien Group dolomite, Galena Group limestone, and Platteville Formation — Paleozoic marine carbonates of the upper Midwest carbonate plain. While these formations produce hard water in direct contact (as seen in groundwater supplies), surface water from the Straight River experiences dilution from upland runoff over glacial till and mixed terrain, moderating the final hardness to the comfortable soft-to-moderate range.
At 115.5 mg/L, Faribault's water is moderately soft — more appliance-friendly than many Minnesota river communities. Scale forms gradually in kettles and appliances over months, soap lathers well, and the dishwasher produces clean results with standard rinse aid. Quarterly descaling of heating appliances is adequate for this softness level. The very low PFAS level of 3.8 ppt is a positive indicator — Rice County's predominantly rural and agricultural character limits industrial PFAS sources, making Faribault one of the cleaner PFAS profiles in the southern Minnesota dataset.
Geology & Source: Faribault in Rice County draws from the Straight River — the Straight River drains southern Minnesota's Cannon River watershed over Devonian and Ordovician carbonate formations (Prairie du Chien Dolomite, Galena Limestone) of the southern Minnesota carbonate plain — moderate carbonate river basin drainage produces moderately soft water at 115.5 mg/L in this Rice County community.