Cerritos Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
2.7 grains per gallon
Source
mixed
pH Level
7.3
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.002 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
97.8 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.12
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 Cerritos, your appliances are currently losing 6% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Cerritos | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 8.1 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -5% |
| Washing Machine | 11.9 yrs | 12 yrs | -1% |
| Water Heater | 13.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -9% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Cerritos compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Cerritos, California | 46.5 mg/L | 3.2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | mixed |
| Artesia, California | 180.5 mg/L | 7.1 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
| La Palma, California | 45 mg/L | 3.2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | mixed |
| Hawaiian Gardens, California | 177.5 mg/L | 7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
| Norwalk, California | 113 mg/L | 5.2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | mixed |
National Benchmark
How Cerritos compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Cerritos | 46.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Cerritos home
Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →
What Makes Cerritos's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Cerritos, California, in southeast Los Angeles County — a planned community and one of California's most diverse and highest-income cities (median household income among the top 10 in California for large cities), known for its large Taiwanese-American, Filipino-American, South Korean-American, and Indian-American communities, and the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts — draws its municipal water supply from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) and the Central Basin Municipal Water District via the City of Cerritos Water Division. Water hardness in Cerritos measures 46.5 mg/L — classified as very soft.
Cerritos' extraordinarily soft supply — one of the softest in Los Angeles County despite relying on the same hard MWD import — reflects the City of Cerritos' exceptional water treatment investment. Cerritos operates one of California's most advanced municipal water treatment systems, with reverse osmosis treatment capacity that dramatically reduces the MWD import hardness. The city developed its purpose-built planned community water infrastructure in the 1960s–1970s with high-quality expectations, and has continued advanced treatment upgrades. The modern Cerritos distribution infrastructure adds minimal accumulated hardness, producing the very soft 46.5 mg/L — among the softest treated supplies in all of Southern California.
With hardness at 46.5 mg/L, Cerritos residents enjoy some of the softest water in Los Angeles County. City of Cerritos Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all California SWRCB and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Mixed supply from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Water District (MWD) import and the Central Basin Municipal Water District via the City of Cerritos Water Division — the Los Angeles County southeast Central Basin (MWD Colorado River and Bay-Delta import + Central Basin Quaternary alluvial aquifer); very soft supply at 46.5 mg/L — reflecting the Cerritos water treatment and Central Basin supply blend in the southeast LA County zone.