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La Tuque Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Water Hardness

28mg/L
Soft

Source

river

pH Level

7.1

neutral = 7.0

Lead

0.001 mg/L

✓ Below action level

TDS

46.8 mg/L

Est. Daily Cost

$0.07

energy & soap waste

Source: Health Canada Water Quality · Updated 2026

28mg/L as CaCO₃Soft

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 La Tuque, your appliances are currently losing 4% efficiency due to mineral buildup.

ApplianceIn La TuqueSoft Water CityEfficiency Loss
Kettle
8.7 yrs
8.5 yrs
Washing Machine
12.6 yrs
12 yrs
Water Heater
14.5 yrs
15 yrs-3%

Regional Water Comparison

How La Tuque compares to its nearest neighbours

CityHardnessMineralizationRisk
La Tuque, Quebec28 mg/LLow🟢 Soft
Laurentides, Quebec37.5 mg/LLow🟢 Soft
Shawinigan, Quebec102 mg/LMedium🟡 Moderately Hard
Trois-Rivières, Quebec75 mg/LMedium🟡 Moderately Hard
Sainte-Catherine, Quebec108 mg/LHigh🟡 Moderately Hard

National Benchmark

How La Tuque compares to the Canada average

BenchmarkHardnessAppliance Risk
La Tuque28 mg/L🟢 None
Canada National Avg141 mg/L🟠 Moderate
Vancouver Top Rated3 mg/L🟢 None

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What Makes La Tuque's Water Unique?

Local geology and source profile

Source: RiverTDS: 46.8 mg/LpH: 7.1

La Tuque's drinking water is managed by the Ville de La Tuque, drawing from the Saint-Maurice River — La Tuque is a city deep in the Mauricie region of Quebec, far north along the Saint-Maurice River in the Laurentian Shield interior, home to the Pap-Kash (former Windigo) and Wemotaci First Nation communities, the international La Tuque Festival de Musique Émergente (FME), extensive forestry and hydroelectric operations, and the wild Saint-Maurice River canoe route through one of Quebec's most remote and pristine Shield landscapes. Water undergoes coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, UV disinfection, and chloramination, meeting all Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ) requirements. Hardness measures 28 mg/L (1.6 gpg) — classified as soft by Health Canada, reflecting the Laurentian Shield granite headwater character of the upper Saint-Maurice.

La Tuque draws from the upper Saint-Maurice River in the Grenville Province of the Canadian Shield — here the Saint-Maurice flows through ancient Precambrian Archean granitic gneiss and Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks with essentially zero carbonate content. At 28 mg/L, La Tuque's supply is dramatically softer than the standard Mauricie reference of ~108 mg/L at Trois-Rivières, reflecting the pure Shield headwater character before the river accumulates carbonate minerals in the lower Saint-Maurice Valley lowlands. This is consistent with the broader pattern of ultra-soft Shield river supplies in northern Quebec (Côte-Nord 19.5–63.5 mg/L; Sainte-Monique Saguenay 13.5 mg/L from reference data). Water quality reports are published under Ministère de l'Environnement standards.

With 28 mg/L, La Tuque homes are essentially scale-free — occasional kettle cleaning every three months is adequate. Hot water tanks have an excellent operational lifespan. Health Canada lead and copper precautionary guidance applies, as soft water increases corrosive potential for metallic plumbing. Pre-1975 properties in the historic La Tuque townsite near the Saint-Maurice River should have lead service lines assessed.

Geology & Source: Supplied by the Ville de La Tuque from the Saint-Maurice River in the upper Mauricie Shield — the La Tuque supply from the upper Saint-Maurice River produces very soft water at 28 mg/L (1.6 gpg), reflecting the Laurentian Shield granite headwater character of the upper Saint-Maurice watershed.

Other Quebec Water Reports

Frequently Asked Questions

Is La Tuque's water safe to drink?
Yes. La Tuque's water meets all federal safety standards. The hardness is 28 mg/L (Soft), which is safe to drink. High hardness affects appliances and taste, but poses no health risk.
Do I need a water softener in La Tuque?
La Tuque's water is soft at 28 mg/L. A water softener is generally not necessary, though a carbon filter can improve taste and remove any remaining chlorine.
How does La Tuque compare to the Canada average?
The Canada national average is 141 mg/L. La Tuque at 28 mg/L is 113 mg/L below the national average. The softest major city is Vancouver at just 3 mg/L.