West Haven Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
1.3 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.2
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.002 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
37 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.06
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 West Haven, your appliances are currently losing 3% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In West Haven | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 8.8 yrs | 8.5 yrs | — |
| Washing Machine | 12.7 yrs | 12 yrs | — |
| Water Heater | 14.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -2% |
Regional Water Comparison
How West Haven compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ West Haven, Connecticut | 23 mg/L | 5.3 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| New Haven, Connecticut | 82 mg/L | 10.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| East Haven, Connecticut | 55 mg/L | 8 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Orange, Connecticut | 17.5 mg/L | 4.8 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Milford, Connecticut | 57 mg/L | 8.2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How West Haven compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ West Haven | 23 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes West Haven's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
West Haven, Connecticut, in New Haven County on Long Island Sound — a coastal New Haven suburb, home of the University of New Haven, the historic West Haven Green, and a popular shorefront park and beach on Long Island Sound — draws its municipal water supply from the Maltby Lakes Reservoir and West River watershed via the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (RWA). Water hardness in West Haven measures 23 mg/L — classified as extremely soft.
West Haven's extraordinary softness reflects the New Haven coastal Connecticut watershed's Triassic–Jurassic geology. The West River and Maltby Lakes watershed in West Haven–Orange area drains: the Connecticut Triassic–Jurassic Hartford Basin — Portland Arkose (Triassic calcareous-poor red bed arkosic sandstone — siliceous quartz and feldspar-dominant with minimal calcareous cement); Jurassic Hampden Basalt and Talcott Basalt (lava flows of the Hartford Basin trap rock — mafic basalt, calcium-moderate but poorly soluble); and the Quaternary Long Island Sound coastal plain outwash (quartz sand, minimal calcareous). The calcium-poor Triassic sandstone and siliceous outwash terrain produces the extraordinary 23 mg/L — Connecticut's naturally soft coastal Connecticut watershed.
With hardness at 23 mg/L, West Haven residents experience essentially no scale challenges. South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority consistently delivers water meeting all Connecticut DEEP and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the West River Watershed and Maltby Lakes Reservoir via the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (RWA) — the New Haven County Connecticut Coast Range Triassic–Jurassic Hartford Basin (Portland Arkose and Hampden Basalt) watershed; extremely soft supply at 23 mg/L — reflecting the New Haven coastal Connecticut watershed's calcium-poor Triassic sandstone and basalt terrain.