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

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. Farmington (84.5 mg/L) is 66 mg/L softer than average.

Farmington Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Water Hardness

84.5mg/L

Moderately Hard

4.9 grains per gallon

Source

groundwater

pH Level

7.5

neutral = 7.0

Lead

0.007 mg/L

✓ Below action level

TDS

218 mg/L

Est. Daily Cost

$0.23

energy & soap waste

Source: See methodology section below · Updated 2026

84.5mg/L as CaCO₃Moderately Hard

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 Farmington, your appliances are currently losing 11% efficiency due to mineral buildup.

Appliance	In Farmington	Soft Water City	Efficiency Loss
Kettle	7.6 yrs	8.5 yrs	-11%
Washing Machine	10.7 yrs	12 yrs	-11%
Water Heater	13.4 yrs	15 yrs	-11%

Regional Water Comparison

How Farmington compares to its nearest neighbours

City	Hardness	PFAS (ppt)	Risk	Source
▶ Farmington, Connecticut	84.5 mg/L	10.6 ppt	🟡 Moderately Hard	groundwater
Plainville, Connecticut	≈ 120–179 mg/L	6.8 ppt	🟠 Hard	groundwater
New Britain, Connecticut	≈ 120–179 mg/L	0 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir
Avon, Connecticut	≈ 120–179 mg/L	6 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir
West Hartford, Connecticut	≈ 0–60 mg/L	5.2 ppt	🟢 Soft	reservoir

National Benchmark

How Farmington compares to the USA average

Benchmark	Hardness	Appliance Risk
▶ Farmington	84.5 mg/L	🟡 Low
USA National Avg	151 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
Scarsdale Top Rated	0.02 mg/L	🟢 None

Bring Scarsdale-quality water to your Farmington home

Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →

Shop Now

What Makes Farmington's Water Unique?

Local geology and source profile

Source: GroundwaterTDS: 218 mg/LpH: 7.5

Farmington, Connecticut, in the Capitol Planning Region west of Hartford, receives its municipal water from the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) — the regional water utility serving Hartford and surrounding communities — drawing from the Farmington River and Barkhamsted Reservoir system in the Western Connecticut Highlands. The Farmington River, one of New England's premier trout streams, originates in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts and drains southward through the Western Highlands into the Hartford Basin. MDC treats this mountain river water before distribution throughout the Capitol Region.

The moderately soft 84.5 mg/L hardness reflects the Farmington River's journey from the Western Connecticut Highlands — a region of Paleozoic metamorphic rocks including schists, gneisses, and amphibolites of the Berkshire Zone and Merrimack Zone — through the Mesozoic Hartford Basin, a rift valley filled with Triassic and Jurassic red sandstone and basalt (the Holyoke and Talcott basalt flows). Neither the metamorphic Highlands nor the Mesozoic basin sedimentary rocks contribute significant calcium carbonate, yielding water comfortably in the soft range with only minor hardness from mineral weathering.

At 84.5 mg/L, Farmington's water is soft — comfortable for everyday household use without softening treatment. Soap lathers well, appliances scale slowly, and glassware from the dishwasher shows minimal spotting. The significant concern for Farmington residents is the elevated PFAS level of 10.6 ppt — one of the highest in the Hartford metro area — reflecting decades of aerospace and defense industry activity in central Connecticut. Residents are strongly advised to use a certified NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis or high-performance activated carbon filter for all drinking and cooking water, irrespective of the favorable hardness profile.

Geology & Source: Farmington in the Capitol Planning Region of Connecticut draws from the Farmington River watershed and MDC (Metropolitan District Commission) reservoir system — the Farmington River drains the Western Highlands through Paleozoic metamorphic schists, gneisses, and Mesozoic Hartford Basin sedimentary formations — producing moderately soft water at 84.5 mg/L, with elevated PFAS from the Hartford metro industrial corridor.

Other Connecticut Water Reports

Plainville

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

New Britain

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

Avon

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

West Hartford

≈ 0–60 mg/L

🟢 Soft

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 Farmington's water safe to drink?

Yes. Farmington's water meets all federal safety standards. The hardness is 84.5 mg/L (Moderately Hard), which is safe to drink. High hardness affects appliances and taste, but poses no health risk.

Do I need a water softener in Farmington?

Farmington's water is moderately hard at 84.5 mg/L. A water softener is generally not necessary, though a carbon filter can improve taste and remove any remaining chlorine.

How does Farmington compare to the USA average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. Farmington (84.5 mg/L) is 66 mg/L below the national average. The softest major city is Scarsdale at just 0.02 mg/L.

Data Sources & Methodology

Water quality metrics for Farmington include verified measurements sourced from federal monitoring programmes. Individual field attribution is listed below.

Measured

Water Hardness

USGS Water Quality Portal — median of ambient hardness measurements from the nearest federal monitoring station (within 50 miles). This reflects source water quality, not treated tap water, and may differ slightly from utility-reported values.

Measured

USGS Water Quality Portal — median pH from ambient measurements at the nearest federal monitoring station (within 50 miles). Reflects source water pH before treatment; treated tap water pH may differ.

Measured

TDS — Total Dissolved Solids

USGS Water Quality Portal — median TDS from ambient measurements at the nearest federal monitoring station (within 50 miles). Reflects source water mineral content before treatment.

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.