Mandan Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
16.7 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.005 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
820.3 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.76
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 Mandan, your appliances are currently losing 38% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Mandan | 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 Mandan compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Mandan, North Dakota | 286.5 mg/L | 2.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Bismarck, North Dakota | 316 mg/L | 2.8 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Minot, North Dakota | 307 mg/L | 2.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Dickinson, North Dakota | 411 mg/L | 3.5 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Jamestown, North Dakota | 170 mg/L | 1.8 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
National Benchmark
How Mandan compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Mandan | 286.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Mandan's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Mandan, North Dakota, in Morton County — the Morton County seat directly across the Missouri River from Bismarck (the state capital), a historic Missouri River crossing city with deep Mandan Tribe and Lewis & Clark Expedition heritage (Fort Mandan), and North Dakota's Northern Plains agricultural and energy corridor hub — receives its municipal water from the Mandan Water Treatment Plant, which draws from the Missouri River alluvial aquifer or Fort Union Formation groundwater wells in the Morton County Missouri River valley.
The extremely hard 286.5 mg/L hardness and very high TDS of 820.3 mg/L place Mandan among the hardest groundwater supplies in this dataset — reflecting North Dakota's distinctive Paleocene geological heritage. The Missouri River corridor in Morton County overlies the Paleocene Fort Union Formation — one of the most extensive Paleocene sedimentary sequences in North America, deposited in post-Cretaceous swampy and lacustrine environments. The Fort Union Formation consists of lignite coal seams, bentonitic (swelling) clay shales, and calcareous sandstone — highly soluble formations that release abundant dissolved calcium, magnesium, sulfate, sodium, and bicarbonate into groundwater. The underlying Cretaceous Hell Creek and Lance Formations also contribute calcareous and sulfate-bearing mineral loading. The North Dakota Great Plains' semi-arid climate minimizes dilution of these highly soluble formation waters.
At 286.5 mg/L with TDS 820 mg/L, Mandan residents face some of the hardest water in the northern Great Plains. Scale forms within days on appliances, fixtures, and heating elements. A whole-house water softener is essential for Mandan homes, and kitchen RO filtration for drinking water is strongly recommended given the very high TDS. The PFAS level of 2.6 ppt is excellent — Mandan's limited military presence and the rural North Dakota Plains setting produce a minimal PFAS background.
Geology & Source: Mandan in Morton County draws from the Mandan Water Treatment Plant on the Missouri River or Fort Union Formation groundwater — the Missouri corridor overlies the Paleocene Fort Union Formation (lignite, bentonitic shale, calcareous sandstone) and Cretaceous Hell Creek formations — Paleocene lignite-bearing calcareous formations produce extremely hard water at 286.5 mg/L with very high TDS 820 mg/L in this Morton County city.