South Pasadena Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
3.2 grains per gallon
Source
mixed
pH Level
7.3
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.002 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
117.9 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.15
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 South Pasadena, your appliances are currently losing 7% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In South Pasadena | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 7.8 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -8% |
| Washing Machine | 11.6 yrs | 12 yrs | -3% |
| Water Heater | 13.4 yrs | 15 yrs | -11% |
Regional Water Comparison
How South Pasadena compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ South Pasadena, California | 54.5 mg/L | 3.5 ppt | 🟢 Soft | mixed |
| Alhambra, California | 65.5 mg/L | 3.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | mixed |
| Pasadena, California | 165.5 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | mixed |
| San Marino, California | 44.5 mg/L | 3.2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | mixed |
| San Gabriel, California | 185.5 mg/L | 7.3 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | mixed |
National Benchmark
How South Pasadena compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ South Pasadena | 54.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes South Pasadena's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
South Pasadena, California, in Los Angeles County — a major San Gabriel Valley historic suburban community (South Pasadena is a significant Los Angeles County city — one of the most distinctive and historically preserved small cities in the San Gabriel Valley; South Pasadena is famous for its remarkable preservation of early 20th-century California Craftsman bungalow architecture and its historic downtown (South Pasadena's Mission Street commercial district and its residential neighborhoods contain some of the finest intact California Craftsman and American Four-Square era housing stock in the greater Los Angeles area; South Pasadena is consistently listed among the most beautiful small cities in Los Angeles County)); South Pasadena is best known for decades of opposition to freeway construction (the proposed extension of the 710 Long Beach Freeway through South Pasadena was contested for over 50 years — one of the most famous and longest-running freeway battles in California history; South Pasadena successfully blocked the freeway extension, preserving its historic neighborhoods; the dispute became a landmark case in California environmental and urban planning history); South Pasadena is the site of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL — one of the most important space research institutions in the world, located on the border of South Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge), a diverse Los Angeles County community — draws its municipal water supply via the California Water Service. Water hardness in South Pasadena measures 54.5 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
South Pasadena's moderate softness reflects the LA County San Gabriel Valley MWD blend supply's calcareous-poor character. The Metropolitan Water District imports and blends water with effective treatment, producing the moderately soft 54.5 mg/L.
With hardness at 54.5 mg/L, South Pasadena residents enjoy moderately soft water. California Water Service consistently delivers water meeting all California SWRCB and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Mixed supply from the Metropolitan Water District blend via the California Water Service — the Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley South Pasadena corridor (mixed calcareous-poor western MWD blend — the calcareous-poor LA County San Gabriel Valley MWD blend; effective treatment); moderately soft supply at 54.5 mg/L in Los Angeles County.