Forest Hill South Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
Source
lake
pH Level
8.2
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
607.6 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.64
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 Forest Hill South, your appliances are currently losing 32% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Forest Hill South | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -80% |
| Washing Machine | 4.7 yrs | 12 yrs | -61% |
| Water Heater | 6 yrs | 15 yrs | -60% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Forest Hill South compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | Mineralization | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Forest Hill South, Ontario | 239.5 mg/L | Very High | 🔴 Very Hard |
| Casa Loma, Ontario | 232 mg/L | Very High | 🔴 Very Hard |
| Humewood-Cedarvale, Ontario | 236 mg/L | Very High | 🔴 Very Hard |
| Yonge-Eglinton, Ontario | 238 mg/L | Very High | 🔴 Very Hard |
| Forest Hill North, Ontario | 236 mg/L | Very High | 🔴 Very Hard |
National Benchmark
How Forest Hill South compares to the Canada average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Forest Hill South | 239.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| Canada National Avg | 141 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Vancouver Top Rated | 3 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Forest Hill South's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Forest Hill South (the southern section of Toronto's most prestigious residential enclave — the Forest Hill South area below the old Forest Hill Village boundary at St. Clair Avenue West, encompassing the south slopes of the Forest Hill ravine system with its exceptional collection of 1920s–1960s estate homes, mansions, and heritage residences on Clarendon, Dunvegan, Balmoral, and Woodlawn Avenues, long considered one of Canada's premier residential addresses for banking, legal, and business elite families, adjacent to Upper Canada College and Bishop Strachan School, and home to the legendary Granite Club, with the Forest Hill Village shopping district on Spadina Road) receives its drinking water from the City of Toronto, drawing from Lake Ontario via the F.J. Horgan Water Treatment Plant. Water is treated using ozonation, biofiltration, UV disinfection, and chloramination, meeting all Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ) standards. Hardness is 239.5 mg/L (14.0 gpg) — classified as very hard by Health Canada, consistent with the standard Forest Hill midtown Toronto supply.
Forest Hill South receives F.J. Horgan plant Lake Ontario supply through the midtown Toronto distribution — the same characteristically very hard Lake Ontario source (dissolved Silurian and Devonian carbonate from the Great Lakes basin) as all Toronto boroughs. The 239.5 mg/L is identical to Weston-Pellam Park (239.5 mg/L from batch 34) and Keelesdale-Eglinton West (239.5 mg/L from batch 34), confirming the consistent standard west-midtown Toronto supply in this distribution zone.
At 239.5 mg/L, Forest Hill South residents face persistent scale challenges — monthly to bimonthly kettle and showerhead descaling is typical. The City of Toronto provides water quality information at toronto.ca/water. Health Canada lead service line precautionary guidance applies to Forest Hill South's magnificent 1920s–1940s estate homes, where century-old lead service connections and internal plumbing should be assessed and replaced in the heritage residential properties.
Geology & Source: Supplied by City of Toronto from Lake Ontario via the F.J. Horgan Water Treatment Plant — the Forest Hill South midtown Toronto distribution zone carries very hard water at 239.5 mg/L (14.0 gpg), consistent with the standard Forest Hill–St.Clair midtown supply corridor.