East Garfield Park Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
11.9 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
8.3
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.006 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
445.5 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.55
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 East Garfield Park, your appliances are currently losing 27% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In East Garfield Park | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 2.9 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -66% |
| Washing Machine | 6 yrs | 12 yrs | -50% |
| Water Heater | 7.4 yrs | 15 yrs | -51% |
Regional Water Comparison
How East Garfield Park compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ East Garfield Park, Illinois | 204.5 mg/L | 7.2 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Ukrainian Village, Illinois | 123.5 mg/L | 4.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| North Lawndale, Illinois | 242.5 mg/L | 8.5 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| West Garfield Park, Illinois | 182.5 mg/L | 6.4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| West Town, Illinois | 190.5 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How East Garfield Park compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ East Garfield Park | 204.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes East Garfield Park's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
East Garfield Park, Illinois, in Cook County — a historic Chicago West Side neighborhood adjacent to Garfield Park (the Garfield Park Conservatory, one of the largest conservatories in the world), a predominantly African American community that experienced significant disinvestment and revitalization cycles through the 20th and 21st centuries — receives its municipal water from the City of Chicago Department of Water Management, which draws from Lake Michigan at the Chicago intake cribs (offshore in southern Lake Michigan), serving all of Chicago.
The hard 204.5 mg/L hardness and elevated TDS of 445.5 mg/L are consistent with Chicago's Lake Michigan supply — among the hardest major city lake supplies in the US. Lake Michigan receives inflow from the Lake Superior basin (Canadian Shield — very soft), the Lake Huron-Michigan basin, and from the calcareous Silurian-Devonian carbonate platform of Michigan's Lower Peninsula and the Indiana-Illinois shore. The Chicago lakefront receives Lake Michigan water that has absorbed carbonate inputs from the Niagara Dolomite and Devonian limestone of the Michigan Basin, the Indiana shoreline, and the Milwaukee Dolomite formation throughout southern Lake Michigan. Processed through Chicago's massive North District and South District water plants, the moderately to hard finished water reaches East Garfield Park.
At 204.5 mg/L, East Garfield Park's water is hard — scale builds in kettles and appliances within weeks, dishwashers require rinse aid or softener salt, and bathroom fixtures develop calcium encrustation. Monthly descaling of heating appliances is practical. A water softener is recommended. The PFAS level of 7.2 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — the Illinois Industrial Corridor, the Chicago metro's extensive industrial-chemical legacy (the Calumet Industrial District, Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago), and the Lake Michigan basin's accumulated PFAS from decades of Great Lakes industrial discharge contribute to Chicago's PFAS readings.
Geology & Source: East Garfield Park in Cook County is served by the City of Chicago on Lake Michigan — Lake Michigan drains the northern Great Lakes basin including the Precambrian Canadian Shield (Lake Superior inflow — very soft) and the Silurian-Devonian carbonate Michigan platform — Great Lakes mixed crystalline and carbonate drainage produces hard water at 204.5 mg/L with elevated TDS 446 mg/L in this Chicago Illinois neighborhood.