Sulphur Springs Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Water Hardness

hard

~120–179 mg/L

Hard

estimated · not lab-verified

Source

reservoir

pH Level

7.4

neutral = 7.0

Lead

0.003 mg/L

✓ Below action level

TDS

83 mg/L

Est. Daily Cost

$0.40

energy & soap waste

Source: See methodology section below · Updated 2026

hard~120–179 mg/LHard · est.

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 Sulphur Springs, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.

Appliance	In Sulphur Springs	Soft Water City	Efficiency Loss
Kettle	6.8 yrs	8.5 yrs	-20%
Washing Machine	9.6 yrs	12 yrs	-20%
Water Heater	12 yrs	15 yrs	-20%

Regional Water Comparison

How Sulphur Springs compares to its nearest neighbours

City	Hardness	PFAS (ppt)	Risk	Source
▶ Sulphur Springs, Texas	≈ 120–179 mg/L	0 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir
Greenville, Texas	≈ 180+ mg/L	76.8 ppt	🔴 Very Hard	reservoir
Paris, Texas	≈ 120–179 mg/L	0 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir
Mount Pleasant, Texas	≈ 180+ mg/L	6.6 ppt	🔴 Very Hard	reservoir
Bonham, Texas	≈ 120–179 mg/L	7.9 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir

National Benchmark

How Sulphur Springs compares to the USA average

Benchmark	Hardness	Appliance Risk
▶ Sulphur Springs	≈ 120–179 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
USA National Avg	151 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
Scarsdale Top Rated	0.02 mg/L	🟢 None

Bring Scarsdale-quality water to your Sulphur Springs home

Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →

Shop Now

What Makes Sulphur Springs's Water Unique?

Local geology and source profile

Source: ReservoirTDS: 83 mg/LpH: 7.4

The City of Sulphur Springs Water Utility serves Hopkins County and the city of Sulphur Springs, Texas, with a population of approximately 16,000. Primary water sources are surface reservoirs including Lake Sulphur Springs and Cooper Lake on the Sulphur River. Treatment occurs at the city's conventional surface water treatment plant using coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. The utility can be reached at 903-885-7541 at 125 Davis St S, Sulphur Springs, TX 75482; annual Consumer Confidence Reports are available through the utility office.

The supply draws from the Sulphur River watershed within the larger Neches River Basin, spanning piney woods and post oak savannah ecoregions. Underlying Cretaceous Woodbine sandstone, Eagle Ford shale, and Austin Chalk limestone form the principal aquifers and recharge zones, with surficial Quaternary sands and gravels. These carbonate-dominated formations dissolve readily, yielding a hard supply mineralised by calcium and magnesium from karst dissolution and evaporitic influences in reservoir bottoms.

At hard water levels, scale buildup occurs in pipes, water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines, reducing efficiency and lifespan. Faucet aerators and showerheads clog quickly, while soap lathering diminishes, leaving films on skin, hair, and dishes. Whole-house softening is recommended for protection; regular vinegar descaling helps prevent approximately 30% energy loss in water heaters. A recent quality analysis scored the supply 80/100, with 2 contaminants above health guidelines but 0 EPA violations; treatment uses chloramines, chlorine, and chlorine dioxide post-conventional processing.

Geology & Source: Sulphur River watershed, Northeast Texas; Cretaceous Woodbine sandstone, Eagle Ford shale, and Austin Chalk limestone — carbonate dissolution and evaporitic lake sediments produce hard water

Other Texas Water Reports

Greenville

≈ 180+ mg/L

🔴 Very Hard

Paris

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

Mount Pleasant

≈ 180+ mg/L

🔴 Very Hard

Bonham

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

Report an Issue

Notice an error or missing data? Help us keep this page accurate. If you spot incorrect water hardness, outdated utility info, or missing details, please let us know.

All reports are reviewed by our team. Thank you for supporting data quality!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sulphur Springs's water safe to drink?

Yes. Sulphur Springs's water meets all federal safety standards. The hardness is ≈ 120–179 mg/L (Hard), which is safe to drink. High hardness affects appliances and taste, but poses no health risk.

Do I need a water softener in Sulphur Springs?

At ≈ 120–179 mg/L (Hard), Sulphur Springs's water will cause significant limescale on kettles, washing machines, and water heaters. A water softener or descaler is strongly recommended to extend appliance lifespan and reduce energy bills by up to 20%.

How does Sulphur Springs compare to the USA average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. Sulphur Springs (≈ 120–179 mg/L) is 1 mg/L below the national average. The softest major city is Scarsdale at just 0.02 mg/L.

Data Sources & Methodology

Water quality data for Sulphur Springs is derived from geographic and geological modelling of the surrounding region. No federal monitoring station data was available for this location.

Estimated

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.

Estimated

Estimated from regional geology and source water characteristics. pH is correlated with water hardness and local bedrock — values may differ from utility-reported figures.

Estimated

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.

Measured

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.

Modelled

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.

Calculated

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.