Laramie Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
9.6 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
8.1
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.007 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
381.1 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.44
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 Laramie, your appliances are currently losing 22% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Laramie | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.2 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -51% |
| Washing Machine | 7.6 yrs | 12 yrs | -37% |
| Water Heater | 9.1 yrs | 15 yrs | -39% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Laramie compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Laramie, Wyoming | 163.5 mg/L | 2.3 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Cheyenne, Wyoming | 87.5 mg/L | 1.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Fort Collins, Colorado | 129 mg/L | 4.5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Loveland, Colorado | 113 mg/L | 4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Windsor, Colorado | 67.5 mg/L | 2.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Laramie compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Laramie | 163.5 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Laramie home
Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →
What Makes Laramie's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Laramie, Wyoming, the Albany County seat — a major southeast Wyoming university city (Laramie is the Albany County seat and home of the University of Wyoming — the only four-year university in the state of Wyoming and a Division I athletics institution; UW is the flagship land-grant university of Wyoming and has major programs in energy research, geology, and western studies), the highest city in Wyoming at approximately 7,165 feet elevation (Laramie is one of the highest cities in the continental United States — sitting on the Laramie Plains, a high-altitude grassland basin surrounded by the Laramie and Medicine Bow mountain ranges), home of the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site (one of the most important historic sites in Wyoming — the original territorial prison where Butch Cassidy was imprisoned in the 1890s), and a diverse Albany County community — draws its municipal water supply from the Laramie River via the City of Laramie Water Division. Water hardness in Laramie measures 163.5 mg/L — classified as hard.
Laramie's moderate hardness — higher than expected for a mountain granite watershed — reflects carbonate contribution from the Laramie Plains basin sedimentary geology. The Laramie River watershed drains the Precambrian Sherman Granite (calcareous-poor) mixed with Paleozoic Laramie Plains carbonate sediments, producing the hard 163.5 mg/L.
At 163.5 mg/L, Laramie residents face regular hard water challenges. Monthly descaling is recommended. City of Laramie Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Wyoming DEQ and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Mountain reservoir supply from the Laramie River (Wheatland Irrigation District reservoirs) via the City of Laramie Water Division — the Albany County southeast Wyoming Laramie Valley (Precambrian calcareous-poor Sherman Granite — the calcareous-poor southeast Wyoming Laramie Range granite watershed; Laramie River supply with effective treatment); hard supply at 163.5 mg/L in Albany County.