Richfield Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Richfield, Minnesota, in Hennepin County — a major south Minneapolis suburban community (Richfield is directly south of Minneapolis — a fully built-out first-ring suburb adjacent to the Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport and Best Buy's corporate headquarters), home of Best Buy's headquarters (one of the largest consumer electronics retailers in the world, headquartered in Richfield since 1994), a diverse Hennepin County community with a significant Somali-American, Latino-American, and Southeast Asian-American population (Richfield has one of the most diverse demographic profiles of any Minneapolis suburb), and a major first-ring suburb undergoing significant redevelopment and densification — draws its municipal water supply from the Minneapolis Water Works and deep aquifer wells via the City of Richfield Water Division. Water hardness in Richfield measures 233.5 mg/L — classified as very hard.

Richfield's very hard supply reflects the Minneapolis suburban deep aquifer's highly calcareous Minnesota Cambrian carbonate geology. The Jordan Sandstone and Mount Simon Aquifer at Richfield–Hennepin County draws from: the Cambrian Jordan Sandstone (calcareous-moderate deep aquifer); the Cambrian Franconia and Galesville Formations (calcareous carbonate aquifer); and the Ordovician Prairie du Chien Group Dolomite (highly calcareous dolomite). The Wisconsin Age Des Moines Lobe calcareous till contributes additional calcium. The Richfield deep aquifer and Minneapolis supply blend produces the very hard 233.5 mg/L.

At 233.5 mg/L, Richfield residents face severe hard water challenges. Weekly descaling and appliance protection measures are strongly recommended. City of Richfield Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Minnesota PCA and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.