Fernley Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
11.5 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
8.1
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
510.8 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.53
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 Fernley, your appliances are currently losing 26% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Fernley | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 3.1 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -64% |
| Washing Machine | 6.3 yrs | 12 yrs | -48% |
| Water Heater | 7.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -49% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Fernley compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Fernley, Nevada | 197 mg/L | 2.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Spanish Springs, Nevada | 361 mg/L | 4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Sparks, Nevada | 366 mg/L | 4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Sun Valley, Nevada | 433.5 mg/L | 4.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Reno, Nevada | 96.5 mg/L | 2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | groundwater |
National Benchmark
How Fernley compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Fernley | 197 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Fernley's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Fernley, Nevada, in Lyon County — a Lyon County city in the Lahontan Valley east of Reno in the Great Basin, along the Truckee Canal (Newlands Reclamation Project, 1903), one of the fastest-growing communities in Nevada in the Reno-Sparks exurban corridor — receives its municipal water from the City of Fernley Water Division, drawing from the Truckee Canal (Truckee River fed by Lake Tahoe) or local Fernley Basin alluvial groundwater wells.
The moderately hard 197 mg/L hardness and high TDS of 510.8 mg/L reflect Fernley's Great Basin hydrologic character. The Truckee River rises in the Sierra Nevada granite (very soft), but the Lahontan Valley and Fernley Basin are internally drained Great Basin basins (Basin and Range Quaternary alluvial aquifer) where evaporation concentrates dissolved minerals — the classic closed-basin mineral concentration process. The Fernley Basin alluvial groundwater contains elevated calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and sodium from evaporite mineral dissolution in the ancient Lake Lahontan basin deposits (Pleistocene glacial lake evaporite remnants — tuff, tufa, marl).
At 197 mg/L, Fernley's water is moderately hard — scale builds in kettles and appliances over months, dishwashers benefit from rinse aid, and bathroom fixtures develop calcium deposits. Quarterly descaling is appropriate. The PFAS level of 2.7 ppt is very good for a Nevada community — reflecting the protected upper Truckee-Sierra Nevada watershed origin of the Truckee Canal supply and the relatively limited direct military-industrial PFAS point sources in the Lahontan Valley (compared to the Fallon-Churchill County corridor where the Navy's Top Gun school has a documented PFAS plume).
Geology & Source: Fernley in Lyon County draws from the Fernley Water Division on the Truckee Canal (Truckee River) or local Fernley Basin groundwater (Quaternary alluvial aquifer) — the Truckee drains the Sierra Nevada granite; the closed Lahontan basin concentrates minerals through evaporation in ancient Lake Lahontan deposits — Sierra Nevada-Lahontan closed basin blend produces moderately hard water at 197 mg/L with high TDS 511 mg/L in this Lyon County Nevada city.