Donna Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
180+ mg/L
Very Hardestimated · not lab-verified
Source
reservoir
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.005 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
710.4 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.91
energy & soap waste
Source: See methodology section below · 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 Donna, your appliances are currently losing 45% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Donna | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -45% |
| Washing Machine | 6.6 yrs | 12 yrs | -45% |
| Water Heater | 8.3 yrs | 15 yrs | -45% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Donna compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Donna, Texas | ≈ 180+ mg/L | 74.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | reservoir |
| Weslaco, Texas | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 82.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Alamo, Texas | ≈ 180+ mg/L | 36.5 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | reservoir |
| San Juan, Texas | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 154.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Pharr, Texas | ≈ 180+ mg/L | 16.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Donna compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Donna | ≈ 180+ mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 151 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Scarsdale Top Rated | 0.02 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Donna's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
The City of Donna Public Water System serves Donna in Hidalgo County, Texas (ZIP 78537), providing drinking water to approximately 16,000 residents from surface water sources. Water is drawn from the Rio Grande River and the Donna Irrigation District canal. Treatment occurs at the city's conventional filtration plant using chloramines and chlorine dioxide for disinfection. Contact: 956-464-3314; address: 307 S 12th St, Donna, TX 78537. The latest Consumer Confidence Reports, including the 2024 CCR, are available on cityofdonna.org; the 2021 CCR notes surface water treatment with conventional filtration and chloramination.
The Rio Grande watershed drains over 196,000 square miles from Colorado's San Juan Mountains through arid deserts into the Gulf of Mexico. Near Donna, the river flows through broad alluvial plains with unconsolidated Quaternary sands, gravels, and clays. Upstream, water contacts Cretaceous limestone formations similar to the Edwards Group, rich in calcium carbonate, which dissolve into the flow. This karst-influenced geology, shaped by the Balcones Escarpment and Edwards Plateau upstream, delivers a hard supply with elevated dissolved minerals before local treatment.
Very hard water promotes limescale buildup in pipes, water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, and coffee makers, reducing efficiency and lifespan. Soap lathering is poor, leaving films on skin, hair, and dishes; spotting occurs on glassware and fixtures. Maintenance includes regular vinegar descaling, sediment pre-filters, and flushing heaters biannually. A water softener is strongly recommended to protect appliances, improve cleaning, and extend plumbing life. TapWaterData reports 3 contaminants above EPA health guidelines; check the latest CCR on cityofdonna.org for full contaminant and pH details.
Geology & Source: Rio Grande Basin; Quaternary alluvium over Tertiary Gulf Coast Aquifer sediments; upstream Cretaceous limestone (Edwards Group) erodes calcium carbonate into flow; hard supply typical of Lower Rio Grande Valley
Other Texas Water Reports
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Frequently Asked Questions
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How does Donna compare to the USA average?
Data Sources & Methodology
Water quality data for Donna is derived from geographic and geological modelling of the surrounding region. No federal monitoring station data was available for this location.
Water Hardness
Modelled estimate based on state-level USGS geological survey data for this region. No direct USGS Water Quality Portal measurement was matched to this city — the value reflects a statistical range calibrated to the state's dominant rock types and typical source water characteristics.
pH
Estimated from regional geology and source water characteristics. pH is correlated with water hardness and local bedrock — values may differ from utility-reported figures.
TDS — Total Dissolved Solids
Estimated using a derived ratio from water hardness and regional conductance profiles. TDS in natural water correlates strongly with total mineral content including hardness ions.
PFAS — Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
EPA UCMR5 (5th Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 2023–2025) — sum of PFAS compounds detected at the public water system serving this city. A value of 0 indicates the system was sampled with no detection above reporting limits.
Lead
Modelled estimate based on the EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile tap-sample methodology. No publicly available per-city lead dataset with sufficient national coverage exists. Values are a conservative baseline derived from city population tier and infrastructure age — all estimates are maintained below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
Appliance Lifespan
Calculated from water hardness using a linear degradation model. Baseline lifespans represent soft-water performance (kettle: 8.5 yrs, washing machine: 12.0 yrs, water heater: 15.0 yrs). Hard water mineral scale progressively reduces operational life in direct proportion to hardness concentration.