Water hardness
Des Moines, IA water hardness
Des Moines's tap water measures 150 ppm, which is hard. Des Moines Water Works publishes this as a bound rather than a measured value, so treat it as the system's own ceiling, not a reading.
150 ppm
Hard
Des Moines shower water
Hardness bands per the U.S. Geological Survey.
Source: Des Moines Water Works, 2025.
Des Moines Water Works softens this water at the plant with lime treatment before it reaches you. The number above is what arrives at your tap, not what the source water measures.
For comparison, Dayton, OH sits in the same range at 155 ppm.
What Des Moines Water Means for Hair and Skin
Between 121 and 180 ppm, buildup shows up over weeks rather than days: spotted glass, crusted showerheads, and shampoo that never quite rinses clean.
Check Your Own Zip Code
Check the number for your exact address with the free zip lookup, or read the utility's own report linked above.