Humewood-Cedarvale 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
594 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.63
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 Humewood-Cedarvale, your appliances are currently losing 31% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Humewood-Cedarvale | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.8 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -79% |
| Washing Machine | 4.9 yrs | 12 yrs | -59% |
| Water Heater | 6.2 yrs | 15 yrs | -59% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Humewood-Cedarvale compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | Mineralization | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Humewood-Cedarvale, Ontario | 236 mg/L | Very High | 🔴 Very Hard |
| Forest Hill North, Ontario | 236 mg/L | Very High | 🔴 Very Hard |
| Oakwood Village, Ontario | 185.5 mg/L | High | 🔴 Very Hard |
| Forest Hill South, Ontario | 239.5 mg/L | Very High | 🔴 Very Hard |
| Wychwood, Ontario | 182 mg/L | High | 🔴 Very Hard |
National Benchmark
How Humewood-Cedarvale compares to the Canada average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Humewood-Cedarvale | 236 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| Canada National Avg | 141 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Vancouver Top Rated | 3 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Humewood-Cedarvale's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Humewood-Cedarvale (a midtown west Toronto neighbourhood in the ravine-edge Cedarvale Park corridor between St. Clair Avenue West and Eglinton — a prestigious residential community of large detached Edwardian and Arts and Crafts homes on the forested slopes of the Cedarvale Ravine, where the Belt Line Railway trail runs through the deep wooded valley, adjacent to the Forest Hill and Wychwood neighbourhoods in the affluent midtown west corridor) 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 in this distribution zone is 236 mg/L (13.8 gpg) — classified as very hard by Health Canada, consistent with the midtown west Toronto supply corridor.
Humewood-Cedarvale receives F.J. Horgan plant Lake Ontario supply through the midtown west Toronto distribution network — the same characteristically very hard Lake Ontario source (dissolved Silurian and Devonian carbonate from the Great Lakes basin) as all Toronto boroughs. The 236 mg/L is consistent with the adjacent Roncesvalles (235 mg/L) and Little Portugal (236 mg/L) in the midtown west distribution corridor.
At 236 mg/L, Humewood-Cedarvale homeowners face persistent scale challenges in their large Edwardian and Arts and Crafts detached homes — monthly to bimonthly kettle and showerhead descaling is typical, and high-end appliances benefit from more frequent maintenance. The City of Toronto provides water quality information at toronto.ca/water. Health Canada lead service line precautionary guidance is strongly applicable in this neighbourhood's pre-war housing stock, and residents in the established 1910s–1930s homes along Glen Cedar Road and Kilbarry Road should consult the City's lead service line replacement programme.
Geology & Source: Supplied by City of Toronto from Lake Ontario via the F.J. Horgan Water Treatment Plant — the Humewood-Cedarvale midtown west Toronto distribution zone carries very hard water at 236 mg/L (13.8 gpg), consistent with the St. Clair West–Bathurst midtown supply corridor.