How does Juneau's water compare to the national average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. Juneau (≈ 120–179 mg/L) is 1 mg/L softer than average.

Juneau Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Water Hardness

hard

~120–179 mg/L

Hard

estimated · not lab-verified

Source

reservoir

pH Level

7.5

neutral = 7.0

Lead

0.007 mg/L

✓ Below action level

TDS

127.2 mg/L

Est. Daily Cost

$0.40

energy & soap waste

Source: See methodology section below · Updated 2026

hard~120–179 mg/LHard · est.

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 Juneau, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.

Appliance	In Juneau	Soft Water City	Efficiency Loss
Kettle	6.8 yrs	8.5 yrs	-20%
Washing Machine	9.6 yrs	12 yrs	-20%
Water Heater	12 yrs	15 yrs	-20%

Regional Water Comparison

How Juneau compares to its nearest neighbours

City	Hardness	PFAS (ppt)	Risk	Source
▶ Juneau, Alaska	≈ 120–179 mg/L	0 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir
Badger, Alaska	≈ 120–179 mg/L	0.4 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir
Fairbanks, Alaska	≈ 120–179 mg/L	26.2 ppt	🟠 Hard	groundwater
College, Alaska	≈ 0–60 mg/L	0.5 ppt	🟢 Soft	reservoir
Port Angeles, Washington	≈ 120–179 mg/L	0 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir

National Benchmark

How Juneau compares to the USA average

Benchmark	Hardness	Appliance Risk
▶ Juneau	≈ 120–179 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
USA National Avg	151 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
Scarsdale Top Rated	0.02 mg/L	🟢 None

Bring Scarsdale-quality water to your Juneau home

Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →

Shop Now

What Makes Juneau's Water Unique?

Local geology and source profile

Source: ReservoirTDS: 127.2 mg/LpH: 7.5

The City and Borough of Juneau (CBJ) Water Utility serves Juneau, Alaska, covering approximately 2,700 square miles including urban areas, surrounding communities, and Douglas Island. Primary sources are surface water from Salmon Creek (SC) in the northern mountains and the Little Contract Glacier Basin (LCB) in the Taku Inlet area. Water is treated at plants where chlorine is added for disinfection and soda ash is applied to Salmon Creek water for pH adjustment and corrosion control, meeting all federal and state standards as confirmed in annual monitoring.

The Salmon Creek watershed spans coastal rainforests and glaciated peaks of the Juneau Icefield, with tributaries carving through resistant metamorphic rocks. Underlying geology features Paleozoic-Mesozoic schists, greenschists, and granodiorites of the Chugach and Alexander terranes, which weather slowly to release moderate minerals into streams. Glacial till and alpine soils preserve a crisp, mineralised profile shaped by high rainfall and seasonal melt, yielding a hard supply prone to scale without treatment adjustments.

Hard water promotes calcium scale buildup in kettles, water heaters, and pipes, reducing efficiency and lifespan — hot water appliances suffer most. Maintenance includes regular descaling of fixtures, installing drain screens, and flushing heaters annually. A water softener is recommended for households with scale issues to protect plumbing and improve soap efficiency. Juneau's water meets EPA and ADEC standards; the 2020 Consumer Confidence Report confirms lead and copper compliance. Third-party analyses note PFAS, chromium-6, and TTHMs above health guidelines but below legal limits.

Geology & Source: Coast Mountains Mesozoic schists and gneisses of the Alexander Terrane; glacial melt over granitic metamorphic bedrock; limited limestone keeps hardness moderate — calcium and magnesium from alpine rock weathering

Other Alaska Water Reports

Badger

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

Fairbanks

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

College

≈ 0–60 mg/L

🟢 Soft

Port Angeles

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

Report an Issue

Notice an error or missing data? Help us keep this page accurate. If you spot incorrect water hardness, outdated utility info, or missing details, please let us know.

All reports are reviewed by our team. Thank you for supporting data quality!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Juneau's water safe to drink?

Yes. Juneau's water meets all federal safety standards. The hardness is ≈ 120–179 mg/L (Hard), which is safe to drink. High hardness affects appliances and taste, but poses no health risk.

Do I need a water softener in Juneau?

At ≈ 120–179 mg/L (Hard), Juneau's water will cause significant limescale on kettles, washing machines, and water heaters. A water softener or descaler is strongly recommended to extend appliance lifespan and reduce energy bills by up to 20%.

How does Juneau compare to the USA average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. Juneau (≈ 120–179 mg/L) is 1 mg/L below the national average. The softest major city is Scarsdale at just 0.02 mg/L.

Data Sources & Methodology

Water quality data for Juneau is derived from geographic and geological modelling of the surrounding region. No federal monitoring station data was available for this location.

Estimated

Water Hardness

Modelled estimate based on state-level USGS geological survey data for this region. No direct USGS Water Quality Portal measurement was matched to this city — the value reflects a statistical range calibrated to the state's dominant rock types and typical source water characteristics.

Estimated

Estimated from regional geology and source water characteristics. pH is correlated with water hardness and local bedrock — values may differ from utility-reported figures.

Estimated

TDS — Total Dissolved Solids

Estimated using a derived ratio from water hardness and regional conductance profiles. TDS in natural water correlates strongly with total mineral content including hardness ions.

Measured

PFAS — Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

EPA UCMR5 (5th Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 2023–2025) — sum of PFAS compounds detected at the public water system serving this city. A value of 0 indicates the system was sampled with no detection above reporting limits.

Modelled

Lead

Modelled estimate based on the EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile tap-sample methodology. No publicly available per-city lead dataset with sufficient national coverage exists. Values are a conservative baseline derived from city population tier and infrastructure age — all estimates are maintained below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.

Calculated

Appliance Lifespan

Calculated from water hardness using a linear degradation model. Baseline lifespans represent soft-water performance (kettle: 8.5 yrs, washing machine: 12.0 yrs, water heater: 15.0 yrs). Hard water mineral scale progressively reduces operational life in direct proportion to hardness concentration.