Indiana Water Quality Report 2026
Indiana tap water is safe — filtration recommended based on our analysis of 8 water systems serving 1,748,399 residents. The average PurityMap score is 77.0/100 (Grade: C), which is 0.9 points below the national average.
- 1 cities have lead at or above 5 ppb. Homes built before 1986 are at highest risk.
- 7 cities (88%) have hard or very hard water (7+ GPG) which causes scale buildup and appliance damage.
- 2 cities exceed the EPA secondary TDS guideline of 500 ppm, which affects taste and may indicate elevated minerals.
- 8 cities use chloramine or have elevated chlorine residuals. Standard Brita pitchers do not remove chloramine.
A water softener is the most impactful investment for Indiana residents in hard water areas. A basic carbon pitcher or faucet filter removes chlorine and improves taste.
Very Hard
Indiana is 0.9 points below the US average of 77.9/100. Hardness is 4.9 GPG above the US average of 6.3 GPG.
Cities ranked by lowest score. Click any city for the full report and filter recommendations.
| Rank | City | Score | Hardness | Lead | Key Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Wayne | 73/100 | 15.2 GPG | 4.0 ppb | Very Hard (15.2 GPG), TDS (520 ppm) |
| 2 | Indianapolis | 75/100 | 13.7 GPG | 3.5 ppb | Very Hard (13.7 GPG) |
| 3 | Fishers | 75/100 | 14.0 GPG | 2.8 ppb | Very Hard (14.0 GPG) |
| 4 | Carmel | 75/100 | 14.5 GPG | 3.0 ppb | Very Hard (14.5 GPG), TDS (500 ppm) |
| 5 | Evansville | 78/100 | 9.5 GPG | 3.2 ppb | Hard (9.5 GPG) |
| 6 | South Bend | 79/100 | 8.8 GPG | 4.5 ppb | Hard (8.8 GPG) |
| 7 | Hammond | 79/100 | 8.5 GPG | 5.5 ppb | Hard (8.5 GPG), Lead (5.5 ppb) |
| 8 | Bloomington | 82/100 | 5.5 GPG | 2.5 ppb | Hardness 5.5 GPG, Lead 2.5 ppb |
How Indiana's 8 cities score on the PurityMap 0–100 scale:
Water quality for the most populated cities. Click any city for details.
| City | Population | Score | Hardness | Key Issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | 900K | 75/100 | 13.7 GPG | Very Hard |
| Fort Wayne | 264K | 73/100 | 15.2 GPG | Very Hard |
| Evansville | 118K | 78/100 | 9.5 GPG | Hard |
| South Bend | 103K | 79/100 | 8.8 GPG | Hard |
| Carmel | 100K | 75/100 | 14.5 GPG | Very Hard |
| Fishers | 99K | 75/100 | 14.0 GPG | Very Hard |
| Bloomington | 86K | 82/100 | 5.5 GPG | — |
| Hammond | 78K | 79/100 | 8.5 GPG | Hard, Lead |
7 of 8 cities (88%) in Indiana have hard or very hard water (7+ GPG). Fort Wayne has the hardest at 15.2 GPG. Cities: Fort Wayne, Carmel, Fishers, Indianapolis, Evansville, South Bend, Hammond. A water softener is recommended.
Based on EPA UCMR5 data, PFAS have not been detected above advisory levels in any Indiana cities in our database as of 2026.
1 cities in Indiana have lead at or above 5 ppb. Highest: Hammond at 5.5 ppb. No safe level of lead exists. Cities: Hammond.
2 cities in Indiana have TDS above 500 ppm. Cities: Fort Wayne, Carmel. RO effectively reduces TDS.
Where Indiana gets its drinking water, based on 8 water systems.
| Source Type | Cities | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Surface Water | 6 | 75% |
| Mixed (Ground + Surface) | 2 | 25% |
Indiana is a hard water state (7/8 cities). A whole-house softener is the best investment.
| # | City | Pop. | Score | Hardness | Lead | PFAS | TDS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Wayne | 264K | 73/100 | 15.2 GPG (Very Hard) | 4.0 ppb | ✅ No | 520 ppm |
| 2 | Indianapolis | 900K | 75/100 | 13.7 GPG (Very Hard) | 3.5 ppb | ✅ No | 470 ppm |
| 3 | Fishers | 99K | 75/100 | 14.0 GPG (Very Hard) | 2.8 ppb | ✅ No | 485 ppm |
| 4 | Carmel | 100K | 75/100 | 14.5 GPG (Very Hard) | 3.0 ppb | ✅ No | 500 ppm |
| 5 | Evansville | 118K | 78/100 | 9.5 GPG (Hard) | 3.2 ppb | ✅ No | 320 ppm |
| 6 | South Bend | 103K | 79/100 | 8.8 GPG (Hard) | 4.5 ppb | ✅ No | 300 ppm |
| 7 | Hammond | 78K | 79/100 | 8.5 GPG (Hard) | 5.5 ppb | ✅ No | 215 ppm |
| 8 | Bloomington | 86K | 82/100 | 5.5 GPG (Moderate) | 2.5 ppb | ✅ No | 190 ppm |
Indiana has 8 utilities. Major: Citizens Energy Group, Fort Wayne City Utilities, Evansville Water and Sewer Utility, South Bend Water Works, Indiana American Water.
Sources: White River and Fall Creek, St. Marys and St. Joseph Rivers, Ohio River, St. Joseph River, White River and groundwater.
- EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System
- EWG Tap Water Database
- State utility Consumer Confidence Reports
- USGS regional water monitoring data
PurityMap compiles publicly available data and does not perform independent testing.
8 city water quality reports available for Indiana.
Carmel Water Quality Report
Evansville Water Quality Report
Fishers Water Quality Report
Fort Wayne Water Quality Report
Hammond Water Quality Report
Indianapolis Water Quality Report
South Bend Water Quality Report
Compare water quality reports across all 50 US states