Libertyville Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
7.4 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.002 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
211.5 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.34
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 Libertyville, your appliances are currently losing 17% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Libertyville | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 5.4 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -36% |
| Washing Machine | 8.9 yrs | 12 yrs | -26% |
| Water Heater | 10.5 yrs | 15 yrs | -30% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Libertyville compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Libertyville, Illinois | 126.5 mg/L | 4.5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Mundelein, Illinois | 188.5 mg/L | 6.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Vernon Hills, Illinois | 276.5 mg/L | 9.6 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Gurnee, Illinois | 146.5 mg/L | 5.2 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Grayslake, Illinois | 118 mg/L | 4.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Libertyville compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Libertyville | 126.5 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Libertyville's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Libertyville, Illinois, in Lake County — a prosperous Lake County suburb in the Chicago North Shore corridor, known for its charming Victorian downtown and the David Adler Music and Arts Center, an affluent Lake County residential community — receives its municipal water from the Libertyville Water Utility, which draws from Lake Michigan through the Lake County municipal water supply network or from the Des Plaines River watershed production, serving the inland Lake County communities.
The moderately hard 126.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 211.5 mg/L reflect the Lake Michigan-Lake County supply's Great Lakes carbonate character — moderately hard but softer than Chicago's Lake Michigan supply (204 mg/L) due to the less processed nature of the northern Lake County supply or a greater proportion of Lake Michigan direct draw at this latitude. The Lake Michigan supply in northern Lake County benefits from Lake Superior inflow (very soft Canadian Shield water) that slightly dilutes the southern Lake Michigan carbonate loading from the Michigan-Indiana carbonate shore.
At 126.5 mg/L, Libertyville's water is moderately hard — scale builds in kettles and appliances over months, dishwashers benefit from rinse aid, and faucet aerators need periodic cleaning. Quarterly descaling is appropriate. The PFAS level of 4.5 ppt is relatively low for the Chicago North Shore corridor — Naval Station Great Lakes (Waukegan area — a major Navy training base and AFFF user on Lake Michigan), and the Lake County pharmaceutical industrial corridor (Abbott Laboratories in North Chicago, Baxter International in Deerfield) contribute to the Lake County PFAS background.
Geology & Source: Libertyville in Lake County draws from the Libertyville Water Utility on Lake Michigan or the Des Plaines River (North Shore water supply) — Lake Michigan in northern Lake County receives the soft Canadian Shield inflow via Lake Superior and the Silurian Niagara Dolomite shore carbonate — Great Lakes mixed crystalline and Silurian dolomite drainage produces moderately hard water at 126.5 mg/L with TDS 212 mg/L in this Lake County Illinois suburb.