Manitowoc Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
9.1 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
7.9
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
412.6 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.41
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 Manitowoc, your appliances are currently losing 21% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Manitowoc | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -47% |
| Washing Machine | 7.8 yrs | 12 yrs | -35% |
| Water Heater | 9.4 yrs | 15 yrs | -37% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Manitowoc compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Manitowoc, Wisconsin | 155.5 mg/L | 4.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
| Sheboygan, Wisconsin | 232 mg/L | 6.1 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Bellevue, Wisconsin | 97.5 mg/L | 3.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | groundwater |
| Allouez, Wisconsin | 174.5 mg/L | 4.8 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
| De Pere, Wisconsin | 273 mg/L | 7.1 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
National Benchmark
How Manitowoc compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Manitowoc | 155.5 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Manitowoc's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Manitowoc, Wisconsin, the Manitowoc County seat — a major east Wisconsin Lake Michigan shoreline city (Manitowoc is the Manitowoc County seat — a significant east Wisconsin manufacturing and shipbuilding city on Lake Michigan, historically famous for its shipbuilding industry; Manitowoc-built ships include the USS Cobia submarine, now a museum ship at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc), home of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum (one of the premier maritime museums in the Great Lakes region, housing the USS Cobia — one of two surviving WWII Balao-class submarines in the United States that can be boarded), a diverse Manitowoc County community with a significant German-American, Polish-American, and working-class manufacturing heritage population, and a community with a significant food manufacturing industry (Manitowoc Cranes and various industrial manufacturers are major area employers) — draws its municipal water supply from the Silurian Dolomite aquifer via the City of Manitowoc Water Division. Water hardness in Manitowoc measures 155.5 mg/L — classified as hard.
Manitowoc's hard supply reflects the east Wisconsin Silurian dolomite aquifer's highly calcareous character. The Niagaran Dolomite aquifer at Manitowoc–Manitowoc County draws from the Silurian Niagaran Dolomite (highly calcareous dolomite of the Great Lakes region — the same formation that forms the Niagara Falls escarpment and underlies much of the eastern Wisconsin shoreline). City of Manitowoc treatment produces the hard 155.5 mg/L.
At 155.5 mg/L, Manitowoc residents face regular hard water challenges. Monthly descaling with citric acid solution is recommended. City of Manitowoc Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Wisconsin DNR and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Groundwater from the Silurian Dolomite aquifer (Niagaran Dolomite) via the City of Manitowoc Water Division — the Manitowoc County east Wisconsin Lake Michigan shoreline (Silurian calcareous Niagaran Dolomite — the highly calcareous east Wisconsin Great Lakes Silurian dolomite shelf; Manitowoc County dolomite aquifer with high dissolved calcium and magnesium); hard supply at 155.5 mg/L in Manitowoc County.