Salisbury Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5.8 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.6
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
191.1 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.27
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 Salisbury, your appliances are currently losing 13% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Salisbury | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.3 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -26% |
| Washing Machine | 9.9 yrs | 12 yrs | -17% |
| Water Heater | 11.6 yrs | 15 yrs | -23% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Salisbury compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Salisbury, North Carolina | 100 mg/L | 5.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Kannapolis, North Carolina | 79.5 mg/L | 4.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Lexington, North Carolina | 155 mg/L | 8.2 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Concord, North Carolina | 98.5 mg/L | 5.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Mooresville, North Carolina | 119.5 mg/L | 6.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Salisbury compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Salisbury | 100 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Salisbury's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Salisbury, North Carolina, the Rowan County seat — a major central North Carolina Piedmont community (Salisbury is the Rowan County seat and a significant historic North Carolina city on the Yadkin River, at the crossing of the historic Trading Path — one of the earliest colonial trading routes in the Southeast), home of Livingstone College and Catawba College (two significant higher education institutions in Salisbury — Livingstone College is a historically Black college founded by the AME Zion Church), home of the National Cemetery Salisbury (a Civil War era national cemetery — the Salisbury Confederate Prison site, where thousands of Union prisoners died, is now a National Cemetery), and a diverse Rowan County community — draws its municipal water supply from the Yadkin River (High Rock Lake) via the City of Salisbury Water Division. Water hardness in Salisbury measures 100 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Salisbury's moderate hardness reflects the central North Carolina Piedmont Yadkin River watershed's calcareous-moderate geology. The Yadkin River (High Rock Lake) at Salisbury–Rowan County draws from: the Carolina Inner Piedmont Belt (Precambrian–Paleozoic calcareous-moderate gneiss, schist, and paragneiss — the Rowan County crystalline Piedmont); and the Yadkin River upper basin (calcareous-poor Blue Ridge headwaters blended with calcareous-moderate Piedmont). City of Salisbury treatment produces the moderate 100 mg/L.
At 100 mg/L, Salisbury residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning with citric acid solution is recommended. City of Salisbury Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all North Carolina DEQ and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: River supply from the Yadkin River (High Rock Lake) via the City of Salisbury Water Division — the Rowan County central North Carolina Piedmont Yadkin River corridor (Precambrian–Paleozoic calcareous-moderate Carolina Inner Piedmont gneiss — the Rowan County crystalline Piedmont; Yadkin River supply with treatment); moderately hard supply at 100 mg/L in Rowan County.