New Britain Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
4.6 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.007 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
187.6 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.21
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 New Britain, your appliances are currently losing 11% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In New Britain | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -18% |
| Washing Machine | 10.7 yrs | 12 yrs | -11% |
| Water Heater | 12.4 yrs | 15 yrs | -17% |
Regional Water Comparison
How New Britain compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ New Britain, Connecticut | 79.5 mg/L | 10.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Newington, Connecticut | 86.5 mg/L | 10.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Farmington, Connecticut | 84.5 mg/L | 10.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Plainville, Connecticut | 41 mg/L | 6.8 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| West Hartford, Connecticut | 23 mg/L | 5.2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How New Britain compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ New Britain | 79.5 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes New Britain's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
New Britain, Connecticut, in Hartford County — 'the Hardware City' — draws its municipal water supply from the Shuttle Meadow Reservoir (on Shuttle Meadow Creek, a Farmington River tributary) via the New Britain Water Department, serving the New Britain–Meriden metro area. The New Britain watershed sits in the Central Connecticut Valley, a structural graben filled with Jurassic volcanic and sedimentary rock. Water hardness in New Britain measures 79.5 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
New Britain's moderately soft supply reflects the Central Connecticut Valley's Jurassic geology. The Shuttle Meadow watershed drains the Metacomet Ridge area of the Farmington River Valley — the Metacomet Ridge is formed by resistant Jurassic Holyoke Basalt and East Berlin Basalt (Newark Supergroup flood basalt flows — the same basalt flows of the famous Sleeping Giant–Mount Tom Ridge system). The basalt terrain is generally calcium-poor, but the New Haven Group sandstone (Triassic–Jurassic arkosic sandstone and mudstone of the Hartford Basin) and the calcareous Shuttle Meadow Formation (Jurassic calcareous mudstone interbeds) contribute some moderate dissolved calcium. The resulting 79.5 mg/L is softer than Hartford (158 mg/L, partly from Farmington River limestone influence) but harder than Danbury's ancient Precambrian crystalline terrain.
With hardness at 79.5 mg/L, New Britain residents enjoy moderately soft water with minimal scale challenges. Faucet aerators and showerheads develop deposits slowly. New Britain Water Department consistently delivers water meeting all Connecticut DPH and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the Reservoir 6 (Shuttle Meadow watershed, Farmington River tributary) via the New Britain Water Department — the Central Connecticut Valley Jurassic Hartford Basin basalt and sandstone (Newark Supergroup) terrain; soft supply at 79.5 mg/L in Hartford County — somewhat harder than Danbury (17.5 mg/L) but still soft due to the Mesozoic volcanic/siliceous basin geology.