Murphy Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
25 grains per gallon
Source
mixed
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.009 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
1353.5 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$1.00
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 Murphy, your appliances are currently losing 45% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Murphy | 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 Murphy compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Murphy, Texas | 428 mg/L | 12.1 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Sachse, Texas | 163.5 mg/L | 6.5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
| Wylie, Texas | 256.5 mg/L | 8.5 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Plano, Texas | 171 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
| Allen, Texas | 152.5 mg/L | 6.3 ppt | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
National Benchmark
How Murphy compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Murphy | 428 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Murphy home
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What Makes Murphy's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Murphy, Texas, in Collin County — a fast-growing Collin County suburb in the northeastern Dallas metro, adjacent to Wylie and Plano, one of the DFW suburban growth corridor communities driven by the tech and corporate relocation boom in North Texas — receives its municipal water from the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD), which draws from Lake Lavon (an East Fork Trinity River impoundment in Collin County) and from the East Fork Trinity River through the NTMWD regional treatment and distribution system.
The extremely hard 428 mg/L hardness and very high TDS of 1353.5 mg/L reflect the Collin County-East Fork Trinity watershed's extreme Cretaceous calcareous geology. The East Fork Trinity River and Lake Lavon watershed drains the West Gulf Coastal Plain east of the Balcones Escarpment — terrain underlain by the Cretaceous Austin Chalk (a highly calcareous chalk formation, massive calcium carbonate), the Taylor Marl (calcareous marl and limestone), and the Navarro Formation (calcareous marine shale). The DFW Metroplex's northeastern corridor sits in the East Texas Embayment where thick Cretaceous chalk and calcareous marine sediment deposits produce some of the highest hardness readings in the entire southwestern US. NTMWD water from Lake Lavon consistently ranks among the hardest municipal water supplies in Texas, with dissolved calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and bicarbonate all contributing to the extreme TDS.
At 428 mg/L with TDS 1354 mg/L, Murphy's water is in the same extreme hardness category as Gardner KS and Pittsburg KS. Scale forms within days on appliances. A whole-house water softener is essential and kitchen reverse osmosis filtration for drinking water is strongly recommended — TDS of 1354 mg/L is nearly three times the EPA aesthetic guideline. The PFAS level of 12.1 ppt is very high and warrants RO filtration — the Collin County tech-industrial corridor, Garland NAS (former Naval Air Station), and the broader DFW metro PFAS legacy contribute.
Geology & Source: Murphy in Collin County draws from NTMWD (North Texas Municipal Water District) treating Lake Lavon (East Fork Trinity River) — the East Fork Trinity watershed drains the West Gulf Coastal Plain (Cretaceous Austin Chalk and Taylor Marl — calcareous chalk and marine shale) — Cretaceous chalk and calcareous marl drainage produces extremely hard water at 428 mg/L with very high TDS 1354 mg/L in this Collin County Texas suburb.