Sartell Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
14.8 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.008 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
629.5 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.67
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 Sartell, your appliances are currently losing 34% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Sartell | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -82% |
| Washing Machine | 4.3 yrs | 12 yrs | -64% |
| Water Heater | 5.5 yrs | 15 yrs | -63% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Sartell compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Sartell, Minnesota | 252.5 mg/L | 6.9 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Sauk Rapids, Minnesota | 256 mg/L | 7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Saint Cloud, Minnesota | 120 mg/L | 3.9 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Monticello, Minnesota | 234.5 mg/L | 6.5 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Buffalo, Minnesota | 202 mg/L | 5.8 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Sartell compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Sartell | 252.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Sartell's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Sartell, Minnesota, in Stearns County — a Stearns County city adjacent to St. Cloud and Waite Park on the Mississippi River in central Minnesota — receives its municipal water from the Sartell Water Division, drawing from the Mississippi River at the Sartell intake (Stearns County) through the Sartell treatment plant.
The very hard 252.5 mg/L hardness and elevated TDS of 629.5 mg/L reflect the upper Mississippi River's intense carbonate character at the St. Cloud region. The Mississippi River at Stearns County drains the Minnesota Drift Plain — Ordovician Platteville Limestone (the dominant upper Midwest carbonate unit — very high purity carbonate), Ordovician Glenwood Formation (calcareous shale), Cretaceous calcareous marine shale (west Minnesota), and calcareous Pleistocene Des Moines Lobe till (ground-up Ordovician-Devonian carbonate from the Wisconsin Glaciation). The cumulative Ordovician carbonate and Pleistocene till produces the very hard central Minnesota Mississippi supply.
At 252.5 mg/L, Sartell's water is very hard. A water softener is strongly recommended. Scale builds rapidly on heating surfaces and appliances, and water heaters require annual descaling without softening. The PFAS level of 6.9 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — the St. Cloud metropolitan industrial corridor (Stearns County), the Minnesota PFAS legacy from the 3M manufacturing sites (3M, headquartered in Maplewood MN, contaminated the entire upper Mississippi valley), and the central Minnesota PFAS background contribute to Sartell's readings.
Geology & Source: Sartell in Stearns County draws from the Sartell Water Division on the Mississippi River (Stearns County, central Minnesota) — the upper Mississippi drains the Minnesota Drift Plain (Ordovician Platteville Limestone, Cretaceous calcareous shale, Pleistocene Des Moines Lobe till) — Minnesota Stearns County upper Mississippi Ordovician-Cretaceous carbonate watershed produces very hard water at 252.5 mg/L with TDS 629.5 mg/L in this Stearns County Minnesota city.