Saint-Michel Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
Source
river
pH Level
7.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.003 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
159.2 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.23
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 Saint-Michel, your appliances are currently losing 11% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Saint-Michel | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.8 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -20% |
| Washing Machine | 10.5 yrs | 12 yrs | -13% |
| Water Heater | 12.2 yrs | 15 yrs | -19% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Saint-Michel compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | Mineralization | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Saint-Michel, Quebec | 85 mg/L | Medium | 🟡 Moderately Hard |
| Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, Quebec | 72.5 mg/L | Medium | 🟡 Moderately Hard |
| Saint-Léonard, Quebec | 80 mg/L | Medium | 🟡 Moderately Hard |
| Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie, Quebec | 73 mg/L | Medium | 🟡 Moderately Hard |
| Montréal-Nord, Quebec | 71.5 mg/L | Medium | 🟡 Moderately Hard |
National Benchmark
How Saint-Michel compares to the Canada average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Saint-Michel | 85 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| Canada National Avg | 141 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Vancouver Top Rated | 3 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Saint-Michel's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Saint-Michel (a north-central borough of Ville de Montréal, historically known as Montreal-Nord's adjacent neighbourhood) receives its drinking water through Ville de Montréal — Direction de l'eau potable, part of Montréal's integrated water system drawing from the St. Lawrence River and Rivière des Prairies via the Atwater, DesBaillets, and Charles-J. Des Baillets water treatment plants. Treatment includes ozonation, biofiltration, UV disinfection, and chloramination, meeting all Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality (GCDWQ) standards. Hardness in Saint-Michel's distribution zone is 85 mg/L (5.0 gpg) — classified as moderately hard by Health Canada, in the moderate range typical of Montréal's north-central distribution network.
Saint-Michel's distribution zone receives a blend of St. Lawrence and Rivière des Prairies plant supply — with the harder St. Lawrence mainstream water and the softer Shield-diluted Rivière des Prairies flow combining to produce the 85 mg/L measured in this north Montréal neighbourhood. The slightly higher hardness compared to Montréal-Nord (71.5 mg/L) reflects Saint-Michel's proportionally greater direct St. Lawrence supply fraction in its specific distribution sub-zone.
At 85 mg/L, Saint-Michel residents experience moderate scale deposits in kettles and on tap aerators — descaling every two to three months is generally adequate. Hot water tanks operate reliably at this hardness without dedicated treatment. For Saint-Michel's densely populated urban landscape — with significant pre-1970 residential buildings — Montréal's Direction de l'eau potable strongly encourages residents to follow Health Canada precautionary lead guidelines and to participate in the city's lead service line identification and replacement programme.
Geology & Source: Supplied by Ville de Montréal — Direction de l'eau potable from the St. Lawrence River and Rivière des Prairies — moderately blended Ordovician limestone lowlands and Precambrian Shield tributary supply reaches this north Montréal borough at 85 mg/L (5.0 gpg).