Papillion Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
24.8 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.009 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
1437.6 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$1.00
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 Papillion, your appliances are currently losing 45% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Papillion | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -82% |
| Washing Machine | 3 yrs | 12 yrs | -75% |
| Water Heater | 5 yrs | 15 yrs | -67% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Papillion compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Papillion, Nebraska | 425 mg/L | 5.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| La Vista, Nebraska | 357 mg/L | 4.9 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Omaha, Nebraska | 385.5 mg/L | 5.2 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Bellevue, Nebraska | 342.5 mg/L | 4.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Council Bluffs, Iowa | 361 mg/L | 7.4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Papillion compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Papillion | 425 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Papillion's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Papillion, Nebraska, in Sarpy County — the Sarpy County seat adjacent to Bellevue and Omaha, one of the fastest-growing cities in Nebraska in the Omaha south metro suburban corridor — receives its municipal water from the City of Papillion Water Division or the Metropolitan Utilities District (MUD), drawing from the Missouri River alluvial aquifer or deep bedrock wells in the Dakota Aquifer (Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone) in Sarpy County.
The extremely hard 425 mg/L hardness and very high TDS of 1437.6 mg/L — the highest readings in this entire dataset — reflect the Sarpy County deep groundwater's extraordinary Cretaceous marine evaporite-carbonate geology. The Nebraska Dakota Aquifer (Lower Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone) in the Omaha-Sarpy County corridor is one of the most mineralized aquifer systems in the Great Plains, with water that has been in prolonged contact with the Cretaceous marine calcareous shale, limestone, and gypsum formations. Additionally, the Missouri River alluvial aquifer in Sarpy County contains highly mineralized water from the Loess Hills calcareous loess (Nebraska Loess Plateau) and the extreme Great Plains carbonate and evaporite sediment matrix, amplifying the hardness and TDS.
At 425 mg/L with TDS 1438 mg/L — the highest in this dataset — Papillion's water is extremely hard. A whole-house water softener is essential and kitchen reverse osmosis filtration for drinking and cooking water is strongly recommended — TDS of 1438 mg/L is approximately 4× the EPA aesthetic guideline. The PFAS level of 5.6 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — Offutt Air Force Base (Bellevue, Sarpy County — headquarters of US Strategic Command, a major AFFF-using base) is the primary documented PFAS source for the Sarpy County Papillion water system.
Geology & Source: Papillion in Sarpy County draws from the Metropolitan Utilities District on the Missouri River alluvial aquifer or the Dakota Aquifer (Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone) — the Dakota Sandstone contains very high dissolved calcium, magnesium, and sulfate from Cretaceous marine evaporite-carbonate strata — Nebraska Cretaceous deep aquifer produces extremely hard water at 425 mg/L with very high TDS 1438 mg/L in this Sarpy County Nebraska city.