Middleton Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
14.8 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.008 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
817.1 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.67
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 Middleton, your appliances are currently losing 34% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Middleton | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -82% |
| Washing Machine | 4.3 yrs | 12 yrs | -64% |
| Water Heater | 5.5 yrs | 15 yrs | -63% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Middleton compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Middleton, Wisconsin | 252.5 mg/L | 6.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Madison, Wisconsin | 145.5 mg/L | 4.2 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
| Waunakee, Wisconsin | 233.5 mg/L | 6.2 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Verona, Wisconsin | 161 mg/L | 4.5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
| Fitchburg, Wisconsin | 107 mg/L | 3.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | groundwater |
National Benchmark
How Middleton compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Middleton | 252.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Middleton's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Middleton, Wisconsin, in Dane County — a Dane County city adjacent to Madison (Wisconsin state capital) in the west Madison suburban corridor, a prosperous Madison suburb — receives its municipal water from the Middleton Water Utility, drawing from the Cambrian-Ordovician deep sandstone-dolomite aquifer through municipal production wells in the Madison area.
The hard 252.5 mg/L hardness and very high TDS of 817.1 mg/L reflect the deep Madison-area Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer's extreme carbonate character — very similar to Madison itself (287 mg/L, TDS 848). The Dane County deep aquifer accesses the Ordovician Galena-Platteville Dolomite, Ordovician St. Peter Sandstone (carbonate-cemented), Cambrian Prairie du Chien Group Dolomite (dense dolomite), and the deep Cambrian Jordan and Mt. Simon Sandstones. The deep dolomite sequence produces extremely hard, high-TDS water throughout the Madison metro area, with the Galena-Platteville the primary hardness contributor.
At 252.5 mg/L with TDS 817 mg/L, Middleton's water is hard. A water softener is strongly recommended and kitchen reverse osmosis filtration is advisable. The PFAS level of 6.6 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — the Madison research-industrial corridor (Dane County chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing), the Truax Field/Dane County Airport (PFAS AFFF source in the Madison metro), and the Wisconsin dairy-agricultural PFAS background contribute to Middleton's readings.
Geology & Source: Middleton in Dane County draws from the Middleton Water Utility on the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer (Prairie du Chien Dolomite, Jordan Sandstone, Mt. Simon Sandstone — Dane County) — the deep Wisconsin Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer consists of carbonate-cemented sandstone over Ordovician Galena Dolomite — Wisconsin deep Cambrian dolomite and Ordovician Galena Dolomite aquifer produces hard water at 252.5 mg/L with very high TDS 817 mg/L in this Dane County Wisconsin city.