Forest City Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
16.8 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.008 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
921.4 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.77
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 Forest City, your appliances are currently losing 38% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Forest City | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -82% |
| Washing Machine | 3 yrs | 12 yrs | -75% |
| Water Heater | 5 yrs | 15 yrs | -67% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Forest City compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Forest City, Florida | 287.5 mg/L | 11.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Wekiwa Springs, Florida | 149 mg/L | 7.2 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
| Lockhart, Florida | 184 mg/L | 8.4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | groundwater |
| Apopka, Florida | 94 mg/L | 5.5 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | groundwater |
| Altamonte Springs, Florida | 71.5 mg/L | 4.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | groundwater |
National Benchmark
How Forest City compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Forest City | 287.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Forest City's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Forest City, Florida, in Seminole County — an unincorporated Seminole County community adjacent to Altamonte Springs and Apopka in the north Orlando metro — receives its water from Seminole County Utilities, drawing from the Floridan Aquifer (Seminole County) through the north Orlando metro distribution.
The extremely hard 287.5 mg/L hardness and very high TDS of 921.4 mg/L are harder than the adjacent Longwood (208.5 mg/L) — reflecting Forest City's deep Floridan Aquifer draw in the northwest Seminole County position where the aquifer is more deeply confined with greater evaporitic sulfate content from the Eocene Avon Park Formation. The Floridan Aquifer at Seminole County (Forest City deep draw) — Eocene Avon Park Formation (calcareous and evaporitic — primary hardness and TDS contributor), Oligocene Suwannee Limestone (calcareous — secondary contributor), and Eocene Lake City Limestone (highly calcareous — deep confined horizon).
At 287.5 mg/L with TDS 921, Forest City's water is extremely hard. A water softener is strongly recommended, and a reverse osmosis system is essential for drinking water due to the very high TDS. The PFAS level of 11.6 ppt warrants a certified reverse osmosis drinking water filter — Naval Training Center Orlando (Orange County — former AFFF) and the Orlando metro Seminole County corridor contribute to Forest City's very elevated readings.
Geology & Source: Forest City in Seminole County draws from the Seminole County Utilities on the Floridan Aquifer (Seminole County, central Florida) — the Floridan Aquifer at Seminole County is developed in Eocene Avon Park Formation (calcareous-evaporitic) and Oligocene Suwannee Limestone (calcareous) at depth — Florida Seminole County Floridan Aquifer Eocene calcareous-evaporitic produces extremely hard water at 287.5 mg/L with TDS 921.4 mg/L.