Bartlett Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Bartlett, Illinois, in DuPage and Kane Counties northwest of Chicago — a major northwest Chicago suburban community in the Fox River corridor, one of the fastest-growing communities in the Chicago northwest suburbs during the 1990s–2000s (Bartlett expanded dramatically from a small village to a large suburban community), a major DuPage–Kane County exurban residential community adjacent to the Fox River and Pratt's Wayne Woods Forest Preserve — draws its municipal water supply from Lake Michigan via the DuPage County Water Commission (DCWC) and the Village of Bartlett Water Division. Water hardness in Bartlett measures 118 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.

Bartlett's moderate hardness — softer than many DuPage County communities — reflects the northwest DuPage–Kane County distribution characteristics and relatively newer infrastructure. While the DCWC Lake Michigan source water is moderate (approximately 130–145 mg/L), Bartlett experienced most of its major suburban buildout in the 1980s–2000s, meaning its distribution infrastructure is relatively newer than older DuPage County communities. The newer northwest Bartlett mains have accumulated less mineral content, producing the moderate 118 mg/L at Bartlett.

At 118 mg/L, Bartlett residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning with citric acid solution is recommended for faucet aerators and showerheads. Village of Bartlett Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Illinois EPA and federal EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.