Richmond Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Richmond's drinking water is supplied by Yarra Valley Water as water retailer, with bulk supply from Melbourne Water drawn from the Thomson Reservoir and Upper Yarra Reservoir catchments in the Yarra Ranges, Victoria. Water hardness in Richmond is measured at 18 mg/L — classified as very soft — far below the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) aesthetic guideline of 200 mg/L published by NHMRC. Richmond, in the Yarra LGA immediately east of Melbourne's CBD, receives Melbourne Water's Yarra Ranges supply at a hardness level significantly lower than the CBD average (41.5 mg/L), suggesting an especially direct and efficient supply pathway from the eastern reservoir system to this inner east Melbourne suburb.

Richmond's very soft supply reflects Melbourne Water's pristine Yarra Ranges source catchments, with the characteristic low mineral content of the Thomson and Upper Yarra reservoir supply. These storages collect water draining across Devonian granite and metamorphic rhyodacite — ancient igneous terrain contributing negligible dissolved calcium or magnesium. The remarkably low 18 mg/L at Richmond — lower than the Melbourne CBD average — confirms an efficient eastern supply pathway that delivers near-source Yarra Ranges softness directly to the inner east corridor with minimal pipeline mineral addition.

Richmond residents enjoy essentially no limescale accumulation — taps, kettles, and shower screens require descaling very rarely. Hot water systems maintain peak efficiency throughout their service life with negligible scale. At this very low hardness and TDS, some residents use a small mineralising filter for improved drinking water taste. Yarra Valley Water provides water quality information at yvw.com.au, with all ADWG standards consistently met. Richmond's famous café culture and vibrant hospitality industry benefit from the soft, low-TDS water that showcases coffee and tea flavours with minimal mineral interference.