Best 18 US Tap Water Cities | Highest In Calcium & Magnesium

While some people swear by their “good” tap water, others would never touch their tap water. Scientists have proven again and again, that the ideal drinking water, tap or bottled, should be rich in magnesium and calcium. [1] Let’s determine the best tap water city!

The tap water in Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and San Jose shows the highest calcium and magnesium content. The higher the amount of minerals, the healthier a water is. 4 glasses of Indianapolis’ tap water provides 9% of daily calcium and 10% of daily magnesium.

We’ll take a look the winners in calcium content followed by the winners in magnesium content. At the end we’ll combine our findings to rank the 18 best tap water cities in the US.

1. The Best Water To Drink: Water High In Minerals

Drinking water, tap and bottled, is becoming more popular and increasingly replaces sugar-sweetened drinks in the US. [2]

Studies recommend that Physicians should encourage patients to check the mineral content of their drinking water. [3] 

That is because the type of water you choose to drink can make a big difference for your health.

And here’s why:

Daily consumption of water high in minerals – be that tap or bottled water – may provide over 40% of the recommended daily intake for calcium and magnesium. [4]

This can be especially important for people who don’t get plenty of minerals through a clean and nutritious diet on a daily basis.

Moreover, people who exercise regularly have higher mineral needs. [5]

Whereas “spring water” and “mineral water” are commonly known to have highest mineral levels, tap water isn’t too far off. [6]

The taste matters too, right?

Studies show that water high in calcium, magnesium, sulfate and bicarbonate tastes best to most people. [7]

And that’s great. Most tap waters contain added minerals (magnesium and calcium) for taste which makes it much more appealing to most people.

Curious to learn about contamination levels of tap water? Check out our article: Tap Water Vs. Bottled Water: Go Better, Healthier & Safer!

Generally, drinking tap water provides a calorie free source of minerals. [8]

Also, minerals in water can easily be absorbed. The bioavailability of minerals from water is good and can be compared with that of milk. [9]; [10]; [11]; [12]; [13]

You can find a summary of the key studies on drinking water in our article:

The Better Water To Drink | Healthiest & Best In Taste

Now, let’s see who wins the race for tap water highest in calcium among the 18 selected US cities.

2. US Tap Water: Top 18 Cities Highest In Calcium

Science has confirmed again and again what water is healthiest for our bodies: Water high in minerals. [14]; [15]; [16]; [17]; [18]

Making a careful selection when it comes to your drinking water helps achieve an adequate daily intake of those minerals. [19]; [20]; [21]

Benefits of water high in calcium:

• 1 Liter (4 glasses) of some tap waters compared in this article can provide up to 9% of the recommended daily intake for calcium.
• These minerals in water can easily be absorbed. The bioavailability of minerals from mineral water can be compared with that of milk. [22]; [23]; [24]; [25]; [26]
• Water high in minerals helps keep our bones healthy. Studies show beneficial effects on bone biomarkers and bone densitometric parameters.[27]; [28]; [29]; [30]
• Water high in minerals could be useful in the treatment of osteoporosis. [31]
• A one-month intake of mineral water rich in calcium, magnesium bicarbonate, and sulfate decreased cholesterol and LDL levels dyslipidemic adults. [32]
• High mineral water intake reduces blood pressure among subjects with low urinary magnesium and calcium levels. [33]
• Especially in aged people with lactose intolerance, water high in minerals are recommended to achieve optimal calcium requirements. [34]
• Water low in calcium, is associated with a higher risk of fracture in children, certain neurodegenerative diseases, pre-term birth and low weight at birth and some types of cancer. [35]
• Water high in minerals can provide many health benefits. High calcium water may be especially important for people who are vegan, lactose-intolerant or don’t eat dairy for other reasons.

Here’s our best tap waters for calcium (1L = 4 glasses):

1. Indianapolis, IN; 85 mg/L; 9 % DV
2. Los Angeles, CA; 68 mg/L; 7 % DV
3. San Diego, CA; 66 mg/L; 7 % DV
4. San Jose, CA; 60 mg/L; 6 % DV
5. El Paso, TX; 56 mg/L; 6 % DV
6. Kansas, MO; 51 mg/L; 5 % DV
7. Phoenix, AZ; 51 mg/L; 5 % DV
8. Philadelphia, PA; 42 mg/L; 4 % DV
9. Cincinnati, OH; 38 mg/L; 4 % DV
10. Chicago, IL; 36 mg/L; 4 % DV
11. Milwaukee, WI; 36 mg/L; 4 % DV
12. Columbus, OH; 32 mg/L; 3 % DV
13. Denver, CO; 31 mg/L; 3 % DV
14. Detroit, MI; 26 mg/L; 3 % DV
15. Baltimore, MD; 21 mg/L; 2 % DV
16. New York, NY; 21 mg/L; 2 % DV
17. Houston, TX; 21 mg/L; 2 % DV
18. Boston, MA; 5 mg/L; 1 % DV

Wonder how the US bottled water brands perform in comparison to tap water? Check out our article: Healthy Bottled Water Brands: Best 30 In Calcium & Magnesium

Conclusion: Calcium is an essential mineral for human nutrition. Habitual consumption of high-mineral water high in calcium may contribute a large portion of calcium we need each day. High calcium water may be especially important for people who are vegan, lactose-intolerant or are dairy-free for other reasons.

3. US Tap Water: Top 18 Cities Highest In Magnesium

There are countless benefits to getting your daily fill of magnesium. Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps the heartbeat steady, and helps bones remain strong.

Magnesium also helps adjust blood glucose levels. And it aids in the production of energy and protein. [36]

Benefits of water high in magnesium:

• Many studies show that water higher in magnesium is related to decreased risks for cardiovascular disease, especially for sudden death from cardiovascular disease. [37]
• 1 Liter (4 glasses) of the highest magnesium tap water researched in this article provide up to 12% of the recommended daily intake for magnesium.
• Minerals in water can easily be absorbed. The bioavailability can be compared with that of milk.[38]; [39]; [40]; [41]; [42]
• A one-month intake of water rich in calcium, magnesium bicarbonate, and sulfate decreased cholesterol and LDL levels dyslipidemic adults. [43]
• Drinking water high in minerals reduces blood pressure among subjects with low urinary magnesium and calcium levels. [44]
• Water low in magnesium may be associated with a higher risk of motor neuronal disease, pregnancy disorders, sudden death in infants, and some types of cancer. [45]
• Strenuous exercise may increase magnesium requirements by 10-20%. [46]
• Consuming 300 mg magnesium per day may prevent or delay the age-related decline in physical performance. [47]

Here’s our best tap waters for magnesium (1L = 4 glasses):

1. San Jose, CA; 48 mg/L; 12 % DV
2. Indianapolis, IN; 40 mg/L; 10 % DV
3. Los Angeles, CA; 29 mg/L; 7 % DV
4. San Diego, CA; 27 mg/L; 7 % DV
5. Phoenix, AZ; 20 mg/L; 5 % DV
6. El Paso, TX; 13 mg/L; 3 % DV
7. Philadelphia, PA; 12 mg/L; 3 % DV
8. Chicago, IL; 12 mg/L; 3 % DV
9. Milwaukee, WI; 12 mg/L; 3 % DV
10. Columbus, OH; 10 mg/L; 3 % DV
11. Kansas, MO; 8 mg/L; 2 % DV
12. Denver, CO; 7 mg/L; 2 % DV
13. Detroit, MI; 7 mg/L; 2 % DV
14. Cincinnati, OH; 6 mg/L; 2 % DV
15. Baltimore, MD; 6 mg/L; 2 % DV
16. New York, NY; 4 mg/L; 1 % DV
17. Houston, TX; 2 mg/L; 1 % DV
18. Boston, MA; 1 mg/L; 0 % DV

Conclusion: Magnesium is an essential mineral for human nutrition. Habitual consumption of high-mineral water high in magnesium may contribute a large portion of magnesium we need each day. Achieving daily requirements is especially important for aged people and people who exercise regularly.

4. Top 18 Best US Tap Water Cities

We combined our findings from above to determine which US city’s tap water has the very best mineral profile. And here it is:

The best tap water cities highest in minerals are:

1. Indianapolis, IN
2. Los Angeles, CA
3. San Jose, CA
4. San Diego, CA
5. El Paso, TX
6. Phoenix, AZ
7. Philadelphia, PA
8. Chicago, IL
9. Kansas, MO
10. Milwaukee, WI
11. Columbus, OH
12. Cincinnati, OH
13. Denver, CO
14. Detroit, MI
15. Baltimore, MD
16. New York, NY
17. Houston, TX
18. Boston, MA