San Juan Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
25.3 grains per gallon
Source
mixed
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.009 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
1374.1 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 San Juan, your appliances are currently losing 45% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In San Juan | 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 San Juan compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ San Juan, Texas | 432.5 mg/L | 12.2 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Pharr, Texas | 435.5 mg/L | 12.3 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Alamo, Texas | 120 mg/L | 5.6 ppt | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
| McAllen, Texas | 266 mg/L | 8.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| Donna, Texas | 268.5 mg/L | 8.8 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
National Benchmark
How San Juan compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ San Juan | 432.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes San Juan's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
San Juan, Texas, in Hidalgo County — a major deep south Texas Rio Grande Valley community (San Juan is in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley — the dense urban corridor stretching from McAllen to Brownsville in the southernmost tip of Texas), home of the Shrine of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle (a major Catholic pilgrimage site in south Texas — one of the most visited religious shrines in the United States, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually), a diverse Hidalgo County community with a predominantly Mexican-American and Hispanic-American population (Hidalgo County is one of the most predominantly Hispanic counties in the US), and a rapidly growing Rio Grande Valley community — draws its municipal water supply from the Rio Grande alluvial aquifer via the City of San Juan Water Division and Military Highway Water Supply Corporation. Water hardness in San Juan measures 432.5 mg/L — classified as extremely hard — one of the hardest municipal water supplies in the United States.
San Juan's extreme hardness reflects the lower Rio Grande Valley's exceptionally calcareous geology and extreme evaporative concentration. The Rio Grande alluvial aquifer at San Juan–Hidalgo County draws from: the Quaternary extremely calcareous Rio Grande alluvium (calcareous caliche-cemented desert alluvial deposits from extreme Chihuahuan Desert evaporative concentration — among the most calcareous alluvial deposits in North America); the Rio Grande River (which concentrates dissolved calcium carbonate through extreme south Texas desert evaporation). City of San Juan applies very limited softening, producing the extreme 432.5 mg/L.
At 432.5 mg/L, San Juan residents face extremely severe hard water challenges. Water softeners are essentially a necessity. City of San Juan Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Texas TCEQ and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Groundwater from the Rio Grande Alluvial Aquifer via the City of San Juan Water Division — the Hidalgo County deep south Texas Rio Grande Valley (Quaternary extremely calcareous Rio Grande alluvium — extreme Chihuahuan Desert evaporative concentration; caliche-cemented desert alluvial deposits; very limited softening); extremely hard supply at 432.5 mg/L — one of the hardest municipal supplies in the USA.