Avondale Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5.9 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
7.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.001 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
152.3 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.27
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 Avondale, your appliances are currently losing 13% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Avondale | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.3 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -26% |
| Washing Machine | 9.9 yrs | 12 yrs | -17% |
| Water Heater | 11.6 yrs | 15 yrs | -23% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Avondale compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Avondale, Illinois | 101 mg/L | 3.7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
| Logan Square, Illinois | 170.5 mg/L | 6 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Irving Park, Illinois | 154 mg/L | 5.5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Albany Park, Illinois | 222 mg/L | 7.8 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| North Center, Illinois | 236.5 mg/L | 8.3 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Avondale compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Avondale | 101 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Avondale's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Avondale, Illinois, a neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago in Cook County — a historically Polish-American neighborhood (Avondale was one of Chicago's largest Polish-American communities in the 19th–early 20th centuries, part of the broader Milwaukee Avenue Polish corridor), now a major Mexican-American and Puerto Rican community (one of the most diverse Chicago northwest side neighborhoods), home of the Avondale–Logan Square neighborhood arts scene, and a gentrifying northwest Chicago neighborhood at the intersection of the historic Polish and Latino Chicago communities — draws its municipal water supply from Lake Michigan via the CDWM. Water hardness in Avondale measures 101 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Avondale's moderate softness — notably softer than many Chicago neighborhoods — may reflect the specific distribution characteristics of the northwest side older infrastructure or the metering point zone. Chicago's Lake Michigan water is uniformly treated at approximately 130–145 mg/L. The Avondale–Logan Square distribution zone (with 1880s–1910s era mains) has moderate mineral accumulation, producing the 101 mg/L measured in this northwest side neighborhood.
With hardness at 101 mg/L, Avondale residents enjoy relatively soft water for a Chicago neighborhood. CDWM consistently delivers water meeting all Illinois EPA and federal EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Lake supply from Lake Michigan via the Chicago Department of Water Management (CDWM) — the Cook County Chicago northwest side Avondale neighborhood (CDWM Chicago northwest distribution grid — the Avondale–Logan Square area mains from the 1880s–1910s Chicago northwest side buildout era); moderately soft supply at 101 mg/L — reflecting the Chicago northwest side distribution characteristics in the older Avondale infrastructure.