Water softeners and filtration in Houston, TX
How hard is Houston water?
Total hardness, main system reported by Houston Public Works: Average 135.5 ppm, range 43.5-229 ppm (Calendar year 2025).
Soft to very hard Houston Public Works's figures for Houston read as soft to very hard on the USGS scale.
Source: Houston Water Quality Report | Jan - Dec 2025. Sources last checked October 27, 2026.
What does Houston Public Works publish about Houston water?
Houston Public Works supplies the city from the Trinity and San Jacinto rivers and from groundwater.
| Measure | As published | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total hardness, main system | Average 135.5 ppm, range 43.5-229 ppm | Calendar year 2025 | Houston Water Quality Report | Jan - Dec 2025 |
- Houston reports both chlorine and chloramine as disinfectants, without saying which system uses which.
- Several smaller Houston systems, such as Kingwood, report their own hardness in the same 2025 report.
What does 43.5 to 229 mg/L mean for a Houston home?
43.5 to 229 mg/L is about 2.5 to 13.4 grains per gallon. The low end, 43.5 mg/L, is 17 mg/L under the 60 mg/L top of the USGS soft class; Houston's high end, 229 mg/L, is 49 mg/L over the 180 mg/L line where the USGS very hard class starts. (USGS hardness classes)
Which systems fit Houston water?
How does a Houston quote work?
- Send a request from one of the 73 Houston ZIP codes listed below.
- An assessment at your home, where your tap can be checked against Houston Public Works's published 43.5 to 229 mg/L.
- You get a written quote listing what is included.
- Installation and service by that company.
Common questions
- How hard is the water in Houston?
- Total hardness, main system reported by Houston Public Works: Average 135.5 ppm, range 43.5-229 ppm (Calendar year 2025).
- Is Houston water hard or soft?
- Soft to very hard. The low end, 43.5 mg/L, is 17 mg/L under the 60 mg/L top of the USGS soft class; Houston's high end, 229 mg/L, is 49 mg/L over the 180 mg/L line where the USGS very hard class starts.
- How many grains per gallon is Houston water?
- The utility publishes hardness in mg/L, not grains. The published 43.5 to 229 mg/L is about 2.5 to 13.4 grains per gallon, converted by us at 17.1 mg/L per grain.
- Which utility supplies water in Houston?
- Houston Public Works runs six separate water systems: the main system, Kingwood, Willow Chase, District 73, District 82 and Belleau Woods, which buys water from Humble. Each has its own results in the report. Source: Houston 2025 Water Quality Report.
- Where does Houston tap water come from?
- The main system draws mostly surface water from the Trinity River (Lake Livingston) and San Jacinto River (Lake Conroe and Lake Houston), plus deep wells in the Evangeline and Chicot aquifers. Source: Houston 2025 Water Quality Report.
- Is Houston water treated with chlorine or chloramine?
- The main Houston system uses chloramine. Some smaller city systems served only by wells, such as Kingwood, use chlorine. Source: Houston 2025 Water Quality Report. That matters when choosing a filter for a Houston home: catalytic carbon is the activated-carbon type designed to adsorb chloramine (NDSU Extension, Filtration: Sediment, Activated Carbon, and Mixed Media). A softener leaves Houston Public Works's disinfectant in the water.
- How does Houston water compare with nearby cities?
- Published hardness in Houston spans 43.5 to 229 mg/L. Nearby: San Antonio 257 to 342 mg/L (converted from grains); New Braunfels 234 to 298 mg/L (converted from grains); Austin 70 to 126 mg/L; Dallas 92 to 167 mg/L.
- Do I need a water softener in Houston?
- Houston Public Works publishes 43.5 to 229 mg/L for Houston, which reads as soft to very hard. A test at your house shows whether your tap matches it.
- Is the water the same in every Houston home?
- Houston Public Works publishes one figure for its whole system (Calendar year 2025).
- How much does a water softener cost in Houston?
- We publish no prices for Houston. The installing company gives a written quote after an assessment at your home.
- Who installs the system?
- We have not named a local installing company for Houston yet. We will tell you the company's name and ask you before your request is shared with anyone.
- Is Houston Home Water Systems part of the city or the water utility?
- No. Houston Home Water Systems is not affiliated with Houston Public Works; it copies and links the published figures.
- Is booking an assessment a purchase?
- No, and a request commits you to nothing.
Which ZIP codes does this page cover?
77002, 77003, 77004, 77006, 77007, 77008, 77009, 77010, 77011, 77012, 77013, 77016, 77017, 77018, 77019, 77020, 77021, 77022, 77023, 77024, 77025, 77026, 77027, 77028, 77029, 77030, 77031, 77032, 77033, 77034, 77035, 77036, 77042, 77043, 77045, 77046, 77047, 77048, 77051, 77054, 77055, 77056, 77057, 77059, 77060, 77061, 77062, 77063, 77071, 77072, 77074, 77075, 77076, 77077, 77078, 77079, 77080, 77081, 77082, 77084, 77085, 77087, 77088, 77089, 77091, 77092, 77093, 77096, 77098, 77099, 77204, 77339, 77345
Compare published hardness in other cities on hard water by city.
Machine-readable facts: water.json. Summary for AI assistants: llms.txt.