Saratoga Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
6.4 grains per gallon
Source
mixed
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.005 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
282.9 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.29
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 Saratoga, your appliances are currently losing 15% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Saratoga | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -29% |
| Washing Machine | 9.6 yrs | 12 yrs | -20% |
| Water Heater | 11.2 yrs | 15 yrs | -25% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Saratoga compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Saratoga, California | 109 mg/L | 5.2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | mixed |
| Cupertino, California | 62 mg/L | 3.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | mixed |
| Los Gatos, California | 162 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
| Campbell, California | 80.5 mg/L | 4.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | mixed |
| Sunnyvale, California | 35.5 mg/L | 3 ppt | 🟢 Soft | mixed |
National Benchmark
How Saratoga compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Saratoga | 109 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Saratoga's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Saratoga, California, in Santa Clara County — a major south Silicon Valley affluent community (Saratoga is one of the most prestigious and expensive communities in Silicon Valley — a Santa Clara County city in the western Santa Clara Valley foothills at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains, known for its luxury residential estates, excellent public schools, and proximity to the most powerful technology companies in the world; Saratoga's Villa Montalvo arts center (the historic estate of former California Governor James Phelan — now a significant arts center and arboretum) and Hakone Gardens (one of the oldest Japanese gardens in the United States — a beautiful hillside garden of Japanese-style architecture and design) are major cultural landmarks), a diverse Santa Clara County community with a highly affluent Chinese-American, Indian-American, and technology executive population (Saratoga has one of the highest median household incomes of any city in California and one of the most academically distinguished school districts), adjacent to Los Gatos and the Monte Sereno area, and one of California's most exclusive suburban communities — draws its municipal water supply via the San Jose Water Company. Water hardness in Saratoga measures 109 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Saratoga's moderate hardness reflects the SCVWD import supply blend with some distribution variation. The SCVWD distributes blended State Water Project and local reservoir supply to the south Santa Clara Valley Saratoga zone (including some local Santa Cruz Mountains runoff), producing the moderate 109 mg/L.
At 109 mg/L, Saratoga residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning is recommended. San Jose Water Company consistently delivers water meeting all California SWRCB and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Imported supply from the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD — Sierra Nevada and Colorado River) via the San Jose Water Company — the Santa Clara County south Silicon Valley Saratoga foothills corridor (Quaternary calcareous-poor Santa Cruz Mountains alluvium — the calcareous-poor south Santa Clara Valley SCVWD treated import supply; effective softening); moderately hard supply at 109 mg/L in Santa Clara County.