Memphis Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) provides drinking water to Shelby County, Tennessee, serving over 400,000 customers in Memphis and surrounding areas. The utility sources all water from the Memphis Sand Aquifer, pumping from wells at depths of 350 to 1,100 feet. No surface water is used, and treatment beyond basic aeration and chlorination at wellheads is minimal. MLGW operates over 80 production wells across multiple well fields, including the Davis well field, delivering consistently soft groundwater throughout the service area.

The Memphis Sand Aquifer recharge area spans parts of western Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, and northern Mississippi, with rainfall infiltrating sands in upland outcrop areas east of the Mississippi River. The aquifer consists of unconsolidated to semi-consolidated sands of the Memphis Group — including the Tertiary Cockfield and Cook Mountain Formations — overlain by Eocene clays of the Jackson Formation acting as natural confining units. The quartz-rich sands release very few divalent cations during the millennia-long underground residence time, unlike limestone-dominated systems, yielding characteristically soft water.

With soft water, scale buildup is negligible, sparing appliances such as water heaters, dishwashers, and coffee makers from the mineral deposits that plague harder supplies. Soap lathers easily without excess residue on skin, hair, or laundry. No descaling maintenance is typically needed, and water softeners are unnecessary and not recommended, as they could exacerbate low alkalinity (around 54 ppm) and increase sodium or corrosion risks in copper plumbing. Water quality is excellent — no detectable lead in source water; pH is naturally near-neutral; calcium averages 10.8 ppm; treatment is minimal: aeration, chlorination, and fluoride addition. The deep aquifer's clay confinement ensures pristine groundwater.