Carleton Place Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
Source
lake
pH Level
7.8
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.003 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
359.5 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.41
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 Carleton Place, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Carleton Place | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.6 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -46% |
| Washing Machine | 8 yrs | 12 yrs | -33% |
| Water Heater | 9.5 yrs | 15 yrs | -37% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Carleton Place compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | Mineralization | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Carleton Place, Ontario | 152.5 mg/L | High | 🟠 Hard |
| Mississippi Mills, Ontario | 190 mg/L | Very High | 🔴 Very Hard |
| Stittsville, Ontario | 134.5 mg/L | High | 🟠 Hard |
| Kanata, Ontario | 131.5 mg/L | High | 🟠 Hard |
| Aylmer, Quebec | 73.5 mg/L | Medium | 🟡 Moderately Hard |
National Benchmark
How Carleton Place compares to the Canada average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Carleton Place | 152.5 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Canada National Avg | 141 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Vancouver Top Rated | 3 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Carleton Place's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Carleton Place's drinking water is managed by the Town of Carleton Place, drawing from the Mississippi River — Carleton Place is a historic mill town on the Mississippi River in Lanark County, a picturesque heritage community with one of eastern Ontario's best-preserved Main Streets of 19th-century limestone commercial buildings, the Carleton Place Canoe Club on Bates Island, and the historic Carleton Place and Drummond Railway community, home to the heritage Tay Canal and the 'Canadian Gateway to the Lake District' of the Mississippi River Lakes. Water undergoes coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, UV disinfection, and chloramination, meeting all Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ) requirements. Hardness measures 152.5 mg/L (8.9 gpg) — classified as hard by Health Canada, consistent with the Mississippi River carbonate transition in the Ottawa Valley.
Carleton Place draws from the Mississippi River downstream of Mississippi Mills (Almonte) — the Mississippi River in Lanark County flows through the transition zone between the Precambrian Shield granite uplands and the Ordovician carbonate lowlands of the Ottawa Valley. At Carleton Place, the river carries moderately hard water at 152.5 mg/L — harder than the Ottawa River direct supply (116–120 mg/L) but softer than the upper Mississippi Mills supply (190 mg/L from reference data), reflecting the progressive mixing and carbonate dissolution in the lower Mississippi River corridor as it approaches the Ottawa River junction downstream at Galetta.
At 152.5 mg/L, Carleton Place homes experience regular scale deposits — monthly kettle and showerhead cleaning is typical. Hot water tanks benefit from periodic inspection. The Town of Carleton Place provides water quality information at carletonplace.ca. Health Canada lead precautionary guidance applies to pre-1975 properties in the historic Carleton Place Main Street limestone buildings and the established residential streets above the Mississippi River.
Geology & Source: Supplied by the Town of Carleton Place from the Mississippi River in Lanark County — the Carleton Place supply from the lower Mississippi River watershed produces hard water at 152.5 mg/L (8.9 gpg), consistent with the Mississippi River carbonate transition gradient in the Ottawa Valley.