How does The Villages's water compare to the national average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. The Villages (153 mg/L) is 2 mg/L harder than average.

The Villages Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Water Hardness

153mg/L

Hard

8.9 grains per gallon

Source

groundwater

pH Level

7.9

neutral = 7.0

Lead

0.004 mg/L

✓ Below action level

TDS

410.5 mg/L

Est. Daily Cost

$0.41

energy & soap waste

Source: See methodology section below · Updated 2026

153mg/L as CaCO₃Hard

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 The Villages, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.

Appliance	In The Villages	Soft Water City	Efficiency Loss
Kettle	4.6 yrs	8.5 yrs	-46%
Washing Machine	7.9 yrs	12 yrs	-34%
Water Heater	9.5 yrs	15 yrs	-37%

Regional Water Comparison

How The Villages compares to its nearest neighbours

City	Hardness	PFAS (ppt)	Risk	Source
▶ The Villages, Florida	153 mg/L	63.9 ppt	🟠 Hard	groundwater
Lady Lake, Florida	≈ 180+ mg/L	119.4 ppt	🔴 Very Hard	groundwater
Leesburg, Florida	≈ 120–179 mg/L	15.7 ppt	🟠 Hard	groundwater
Marion Oaks, Florida	≈ 120–179 mg/L	11.3 ppt	🟠 Hard	groundwater
Tavares, Florida	≈ 120–179 mg/L	0 ppt	🟠 Hard	groundwater

National Benchmark

How The Villages compares to the USA average

Benchmark	Hardness	Appliance Risk
▶ The Villages	153 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
USA National Avg	151 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
Scarsdale Top Rated	0.02 mg/L	🟢 None

Bring Scarsdale-quality water to your The Villages home

Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →

Shop Now

What Makes The Villages's Water Unique?

Local geology and source profile

Source: GroundwaterTDS: 410.5 mg/LpH: 7.9

The Village Center Service Area (VCSA), managed by the Central Florida Water Control District, provides drinking water to The Villages retirement community in Sumter County, Florida, serving approximately 80,000 residents across multiple neighborhoods. Water is sourced from four wells tapping the Floridan Aquifer, with chlorination for disinfection at treatment facilities. The 2023 Consumer Confidence Report confirms compliance with lead (0.6 ppb vs. 15 ppb action level) and copper (0.5 ppm vs. 1.3 ppm action level) standards, with sampling conducted in August 2023.

The supply originates from the Floridan Aquifer, a major karst limestone aquifer system spanning much of the southeastern US, formed primarily from Oligocene-Miocene aged limestone and dolomitic limestone deposits. This extensively karstified carbonate rock formation, with solution cavities and conduits, allows rapid groundwater flow and dissolution of calcium and magnesium carbonates. The limestone-rich geology of central Florida's Sumter County contributes high dissolved mineral content, yielding naturally hard water conditions typical of aquifer-fed supplies in this region.

Hard water at 153 mg/L promotes scale buildup in pipes, water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines, reducing efficiency and lifespan and requiring more frequent descaling or maintenance. Soap efficiency is reduced and mineral deposits form on fixtures and showerheads. A water softener is recommended to mitigate these effects and improve cleaning performance. Primary treatment involves chlorination of groundwater for microbial control; pH and other parameters meet EPA standards per the CCR. No PFAS data is specified in available reports.

Geology & Source: Floridan Aquifer — Oligocene-Miocene karst limestone and dolomitic limestone; solution cavities enable rapid calcium and magnesium carbonate dissolution — naturally hard supply in Sumter County, central Florida

Other Florida Water Reports

Lady Lake

≈ 180+ mg/L

🔴 Very Hard

Leesburg

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

Marion Oaks

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

Tavares

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

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 The Villages's water safe to drink?

Yes. The Villages's water meets all federal safety standards. The hardness is 153 mg/L (Hard), which is safe to drink. High hardness affects appliances and taste, but poses no health risk.

Do I need a water softener in The Villages?

At 153 mg/L (Hard), The Villages's water will cause significant limescale on kettles, washing machines, and water heaters. A water softener or descaler is strongly recommended to extend appliance lifespan and reduce energy bills by up to 20%.

How does The Villages compare to the USA average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. The Villages (153 mg/L) is 2 mg/L above the national average. The softest major city is Scarsdale at just 0.02 mg/L.

Data Sources & Methodology

Water quality data for The Villages is derived from geographic and geological modelling of the surrounding region. No federal monitoring station data was available for this location.

Estimated

Water Hardness

Modelled estimate based on state-level USGS geological survey data for this region. No direct USGS Water Quality Portal measurement was matched to this city — the value reflects a statistical range calibrated to the state's dominant rock types and typical source water characteristics.

Estimated

Estimated from regional geology and source water characteristics. pH is correlated with water hardness and local bedrock — values may differ from utility-reported figures.

Estimated

TDS — Total Dissolved Solids

Estimated using a derived ratio from water hardness and regional conductance profiles. TDS in natural water correlates strongly with total mineral content including hardness ions.

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.