Is Florida tap water hard or soft?
Yes, mostly. 65 % of the 17 cities with published data in Florida have hard or very hard water (over 120 mg/L). The median is 8.2 gpg, from 3.7 gpg in Titusville to 12.9 gpg in Safety Harbor.
We have published hardness data for 17 cities in Florida. The median is 8.2 gpg; the hardest water is in Safety Harbor (12.9 gpg), the softest in Titusville (3.7 gpg).
65 % of these cities have hard or very hard water (over 120 mg/L).
USGS classes: soft 0–60, moderately hard 61–120, hard 121–180, very hard >180 mg/L.
Cities in Florida, hardest first
| gpg | mg/L | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety Harbor | 12.9 | 221 | very hard |
| Largo | 12.7 | 217 | very hard |
| Pinellas Park | 12.7 | 217 | very hard |
| Tampa | 12.3 | 211 | very hard |
| Seminole | 12.1 | 207 | very hard |
| Apopka | 9.3 | 160 | hard |
| St. Petersburg FL | 9.2 | 158 | hard |
| Tallahassee | 8.8 | 150 | hard |
| Gainesville | 8.2 | 140 | hard |
| Orlando | 7.5 | 129 | hard |
| Niceville | 7.5 | 128 | hard |
| Cocoa | 6.7 | 115 | moderately hard |
| Cape Coral FL | 6 | 103 | moderately hard |
| Palm Coast | 5.8 | 100 | moderately hard |
| Key West | 5.7 | 97 | moderately hard |
| Boca Raton | 4.2 | 73 | moderately hard |
| Titusville | 3.7 | 64 | moderately hard |
FAQ
Is Florida water hard or soft?
Yes, mostly. 65 % of the 17 cities we cover have hard or very hard water; the median is 8.2 gpg.
Which city in Florida has the hardest water?
Safety Harbor, at 12.9 gpg, has the hardest water of the 17 cities with published data.
Which city in Florida has the softest water?
Titusville, at 3.7 gpg, has the softest water of the 17 cities with published data.
Do I need a water softener in Florida?
Above about 120 mg/L (7 gpg) scale builds up in water heaters, kettles and dishwashers, and a softener or at least regular descaling pays off. Look up your own city in the table: in Florida the values range from 3.7 gpg to 12.9 gpg.
On a private well? Well water hardness in Florida by county →