Fredericton Northside Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
Source
surface
pH Level
7.1
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.001 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
26.7 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.04
energy & soap waste
Source: Health Canada Water Quality · Updated 2026
0–60
mg/L
Soft
61–120
mg/L
Moderately Hard
121–180
mg/L
Hard
180+
mg/L
Very Hard
Appliance Damage Report
In Fredericton Northside, your appliances are currently losing 2% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Fredericton Northside | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 9.1 yrs | 8.5 yrs | — |
| Washing Machine | 13 yrs | 12 yrs | — |
| Water Heater | 14.9 yrs | 15 yrs | -1% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Fredericton Northside compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | Mineralization | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Fredericton Northside, New Brunswick | 16.5 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| Fredericton, New Brunswick | 30 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| Quispamsis, New Brunswick | 38 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| Rothesay, New Brunswick | 29.5 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
| Saint John West, New Brunswick | 35 mg/L | Low | 🟢 Soft |
National Benchmark
How Fredericton Northside compares to the Canada average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Fredericton Northside | 16.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| Canada National Avg | 141 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Vancouver Top Rated | 3 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Fredericton Northside's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Fredericton Northside (the residential communities on the north bank of the Saint John River in Fredericton — including Devon and Silverwood — across the river from downtown Fredericton) receives its drinking water from the City of Fredericton, drawing from the Saint John River via the Fredericton Water Treatment Plant. Water undergoes coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, UV disinfection, and chloramination, fully meeting the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ). Hardness measures 16.5 mg/L (1.0 gpg) — classified as very soft by Health Canada, at the softer end even within Fredericton's already very soft supply (Fredericton core 30 mg/L from batch 7), reflecting the very low mineral content of the upper Saint John River in the north-bank distribution zone.
The Saint John River drains the Appalachian Highlands of northwestern New Brunswick and northwestern Maine — a landscape of ancient Cambrian and Ordovician metamorphic schist, greywacke, and phyllite of the Quebec–New Brunswick Appalachian terrane. These old, highly metamorphosed and mineralogically stable rocks dissolve very little calcium, producing the characteristically very soft water (16–30 mg/L) of the Fredericton area. The Northside's 16.5 mg/L is somewhat softer than the south-bank Fredericton core (30 mg/L), possibly reflecting a different distribution sub-zone routing or slightly different position in the seasonal river flow dynamics.
With 16.5 mg/L of hardness, Fredericton Northside homes are completely scale-free — appliances and taps require essentially no descaling maintenance. Hot water tanks have an outstanding lifespan. The very soft and mildly corrosive supply warrants periodic checking of plumbing in older homes, particularly the iron and galvanised steel pipes found in Devon's post-war housing stock. The City of Fredericton provides water quality information at fredericton.ca, with annual reports meeting Health Canada Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality standards.
Geology & Source: Supplied by City of Fredericton from the Saint John River via the Fredericton Water Treatment Plant — north-bank supply from the upper Saint John River draining Appalachian metamorphic New Brunswick terrain produces very soft water at 16.5 mg/L (1.0 gpg).