College Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
1.1 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.2
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.002 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
32.6 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.05
energy & soap waste
Source: USGS Water Quality Portal · 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 College, your appliances are currently losing 3% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In College | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 9 yrs | 8.5 yrs | — |
| Washing Machine | 12.9 yrs | 12 yrs | — |
| Water Heater | 14.8 yrs | 15 yrs | -1% |
Regional Water Comparison
How College compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ College, Alaska | 19 mg/L | 0.5 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Fairbanks, Alaska | 10 mg/L | 0.4 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Badger, Alaska | 8.5 mg/L | 0.4 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Knik-Fairview, Alaska | 69.5 mg/L | 1.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Eagle River, Alaska | 54.5 mg/L | 1 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How College compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ College | 19 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes College's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
College, Alaska, in Fairbanks North Star Borough — a Fairbanks North Star Borough community adjacent to Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus in interior Alaska — receives its water from the Fairbanks North Star or UAF supply, drawing from the Chena River or local artesian wells (Fairbanks North Star Borough) through the interior Alaska distribution.
The very soft 19 mg/L hardness and extremely low TDS of 32.6 mg/L place College among the softest water communities in this dataset — reflecting interior Alaska's Cretaceous Fairbanks Schist and Precambrian Yukon-Tanana terrane's completely insoluble metamorphic formations producing near-pure glacial and permafrost meltwater runoff with negligible calcareous dissolution. The Chena River watershed at Fairbanks North Star — Cretaceous Fairbanks Schist (insoluble — primary dilutant), Precambrian Yukon-Tanana terrane (insoluble — secondary dilutant), and Quaternary permafrost-thaw deposits (insoluble — dilutant).
At 19 mg/L, College's water is extremely soft — no scale buildup, appliances run at peak efficiency, and no softening is ever needed. Water is ideal for all uses. The PFAS level of 0.5 ppt is extremely low — no filtration needed, routine monitoring is sufficient.
Geology & Source: College in Fairbanks North Star Borough draws from the Fairbanks North Star or UAF supply on the Chena River or local artesian wells (Fairbanks North Star Borough, interior Alaska) — the Chena River watershed drains the Alaska Range (Cretaceous Fairbanks Schist — insoluble) and Precambrian Yukon-Tanana terrane (insoluble) — Alaska Fairbanks interior Cretaceous-Precambrian insoluble supply produces very soft water at 19 mg/L with TDS 32.6 mg/L.