Montgomery Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
8.4 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
7.8
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.003 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
255.9 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.38
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 Montgomery, your appliances are currently losing 19% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Montgomery | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.9 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -42% |
| Washing Machine | 8.3 yrs | 12 yrs | -31% |
| Water Heater | 9.9 yrs | 15 yrs | -34% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Montgomery compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Montgomery, Illinois | 143.5 mg/L | 5.1 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Aurora, Illinois | 279.5 mg/L | 9.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Oswego, Illinois | 133 mg/L | 4.8 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| North Aurora, Illinois | 234 mg/L | 8.2 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Batavia, Illinois | 121.5 mg/L | 4.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Montgomery compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Montgomery | 143.5 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Montgomery's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Montgomery, Illinois, in Kane County — a Kane County village on the Fox River adjacent to Aurora and Oswego in the western Chicago suburban Fox Valley corridor — receives its municipal water from the Village of Montgomery Water Department or Illinois American Water, which draws from the Fox River in the Kane County Fox Valley water supply system.
The moderately hard 143.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 255.9 mg/L reflect the Fox River watershed's Illinois calcareous till plain character. The Fox River drains the Fox Chain O'Lakes (northern Lake County and Walworth County Wisconsin) and the Kane-DeKalb-McHenry County Wisconsin-Illinois Till Plain — glaciated terrain underlain by the Silurian Niagara Dolomite and calcareous Pleistocene glacial till with abundant carbonate clasts from the Great Lakes carbonate belt. The Fox River produces consistently moderately hard water throughout its Illinois corridor — somewhat softer than the deep Silurian dolomite well supplies of Lake Zurich and Evergreen Park.
At 143.5 mg/L, Montgomery'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 5.1 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — the Elgin industrial corridor (Kane County manufacturing), the Joliet Arsenal legacy (Will County upstream Fox River area), and the western Chicago suburban Fox Valley PFAS background contribute to Montgomery's PFAS readings.
Geology & Source: Montgomery in Kane County draws from the Village of Montgomery Water or Illinois American Water on the Fox River (Kane County, Fox Chain O'Lakes watershed) — the Fox River drains the Wisconsin-Illinois Till Plain (Pleistocene calcareous glacial till over Silurian Niagara Dolomite) — Illinois calcareous glacial till and Silurian dolomite drainage produces moderately hard water at 143.5 mg/L with TDS 256 mg/L in this Kane County Illinois village.