What Is Hard Water Costing You?
Southeast Idaho has some of the hardest water in the country. Use the free calculator to estimate what it's costing your home every year — then check your city's exact, source-cited hardness number below.
Hard Water Cost Calculator
See what hard water is quietly costing your Idaho home each year.
Based on a $1,799 NuGen Fusion XT softener installed by a licensed plumber. Estimate only — your real numbers depend on your habits and appliances.
Want your exact hardness number? Chad tests your water free, at your home.
(208) 419-7372Water Hardness by City — Southeast Idaho
Hardness for every city we serve, with the source for each number. Where a city doesn't publish hardness in its water report (it isn't an EPA-regulated parameter), we use USGS groundwater data for that area. Estimates are labeled as such.Conversion: 1 grain per gallon (GPG) = 17.1 mg/L as CaCO₃.
| City | GPG | mg/L | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho FallsBonneville County | 14 | 239 | Very hard | City reportCity CCR states verbatim: “The water hardness is 14 grains per gallon.” |
| AmmonBonneville County | 14 | 238 | Very hard | City reportCity CCR: “Total Hardness — 238 ppm or 14 grains.” |
| IonaBonneville County | 14 | 239 | Very hard | Regional est.Iona's CCR lists no hardness; same aquifer as Idaho Falls/Ammon (~5 mi away). |
| UconBonneville County | 14 | 239 | Very hard | Regional est.Ucon's CCR lists no hardness; same aquifer as Idaho Falls/Ammon. |
| RexburgMadison County | 12 | 205 | Very hard | USGS dataCity CCR lists no hardness; USGS wells near Rexburg run ~10.5–15.5 GPG. |
| Sugar CityMadison County | 10.5 | 180 | Hard | USGS dataShares the Rexburg aquifer; USGS wells median ~10.5 GPG. |
| RigbyJefferson County | 10.5 | 180 | Hard | USGS dataCity water classified “hard” (~7–10.5 GPG); Jefferson County wells outside town often test 15–25+ GPG. |
| RirieJefferson County | 14.6 | 249 | Very hard | USGS dataCity system averages ~249 ppm (14.6 GPG); surrounding wells often test higher. |
| PocatelloBannock County | 20.5 | 350 | Very hard | City reportCity states: “Pocatello's water…averages 350 parts per million…the equivalent of 20.5 grains per gallon.” The hardest municipal water in the region. |
| ChubbuckBannock County | 19.4 | 332 | Very hard | City reportCity CCR states verbatim: “Water Hardness: 19.4 grains per gallon.” |
| BlackfootBingham County | 11 | 188 | Very hard | USGS dataCity CCR lists no hardness; USGS Bingham County wells median ~10.5–11 GPG. |
| ShelleyBingham County | 11 | 188 | Very hard | Regional est.No municipal hardness figure published; same aquifer reach as Blackfoot. |
| DriggsTeton County | 10.8 | 185 | Very hard | USGS dataTeton Valley alluvial aquifer; USGS measured valley average ~9.9 GPG (range 2.5–18.9). |
| VictorTeton County | 10 | 171 | Hard | USGS dataTeton Valley aquifer; city publishes a dedicated hardness report. Valley average ~9.9 GPG. |
| TetoniaTeton County | 10 | 171 | Hard | Regional est.CCR lists no hardness; uses measured Teton Valley aquifer average. |
“City report” = figure published by the city/utility. “USGS data” = derived from USGS groundwater measurements for that area. “Regional est.” = no local measurement available; estimated from the surrounding aquifer. Want a measured number for your own tap? Chad tests it free.
Sources & method
- City Consumer Confidence Reports (CCRs) and water-department pages for Idaho Falls, Ammon, Pocatello and Chubbuck, which publish hardness directly.
- USGS / EPA Water Quality Portal groundwater measurements for cities whose CCRs omit hardness (Rexburg, Rigby, Ririe, Blackfoot and others).
- USGS Water-Supply Paper 1789 for Teton Valley (Driggs, Victor, Tetonia) hardness.
- Cost model: Battelle / Water Quality Association water-heater efficiency study (2009), WQA detergent studies, and U.S. Department of Energy water-heating cost estimates.
Found a more current city report than what we've cited? Tell us and we'll update the table — we want this to be the most accurate hardness reference for Southeast Idaho.
Get your exact hardness number — free
Chad Baxter, a licensed plumber with 24+ years of experience, will test your water at your home and give you an honest recommendation. No pressure, no sales pitch.
(208) 419-7372Serving Idaho Falls, Ammon, Rexburg, Pocatello, Blackfoot, Driggs & all of East Idaho.