West Bend Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The City of West Bend Water Utility (PWS ID: WI2670120) serves approximately 30,000 residents across the city and surrounding areas in Washington County, Wisconsin. Water is sourced from multiple municipal wells tapping deep sandstone aquifers beneath Silurian dolomite bedrock, treated at the city's water treatment facility using aeration, filtration, chlorination, and corrosion control before distribution. No surface water reservoirs or rivers contribute to the supply. Recharge reaches these aquifers via glacial moraines and outwash plains of the Eastern Wisconsin Ridges and Lowlands, drawing from the broader Lake Michigan drainage basin.

The primary aquifer matrix consists of Silurian-age dolomites and limestones, part of the Kankakee Arch structural feature, specifically the Niagaran Series dolomites, with deeper Cambrian sandstones of the Mount Simon and Eau Claire Formations providing confined storage. These carbonate-rich Paleozoic rocks dissolve readily as groundwater percolates through fractures, imparting elevated calcium and magnesium ions that define the hard supply. Pleistocene glacial till and sand/gravel overburden filter recharge but the dominant driver of mineral content is limestone dissolution from the deep bedrock.

Hard water in this range promotes significant limescale buildup in pipes, heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines—hot water appliances suffer most, with reduced efficiency and shortened lifespan. Soap lathering is poor, leaving films on skin, hair, and laundry, and fixtures may stain. Regular descaling, vinegar rinses, and professional servicing are recommended, and a whole-house softener is strongly advised for optimal appliance performance. Water meets federal standards with pH typically 7.5–8.5; notable contaminants per EWG analysis of 2021–2023 data include total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) at 20.6 ppb, haloacetic acids (HAA9) at 4.95 ppb, nitrate at 0.918 ppm, and traces of hexavalent chromium at 0.0957 ppb—32 contaminants detected in total, with lead and copper compliant via corrosion inhibitors.