Worth Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
15.5 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.008 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
686 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.71
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 Worth, your appliances are currently losing 35% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Worth | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -82% |
| Washing Machine | 3.8 yrs | 12 yrs | -68% |
| Water Heater | 5 yrs | 15 yrs | -67% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Worth compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Worth, Illinois | 266 mg/L | 9.3 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Palos Hills, Illinois | 152.5 mg/L | 5.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Chicago Ridge, Illinois | 173 mg/L | 6.1 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Palos Heights, Illinois | 152 mg/L | 5.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Oak Lawn, Illinois | 273 mg/L | 9.5 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Worth compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Worth | 266 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Worth home
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What Makes Worth's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Worth, Illinois, in Cook County — a Cook County village adjacent to Palos Hills and Alsip in the south Chicago suburbs — receives its water from the Village of Worth or Illinois American Water, drawing from Lake Michigan through the northeast Illinois distribution.
The very hard 266 mg/L hardness and high TDS of 686 mg/L reflect the Cook County supply's very hard dolomitic character — the Silurian Niagaran Dolomite and Devonian Dundee Limestone are highly dolomitic formations in the Illinois Dolomite Plateau, and the south Cook County supply zone concentrates dissolved mineral content from the dolomite aquifer blending with Lake Michigan supply (compare Palos Hills IL: 262/675 in Cook County comparable; Alsip IL: 269/697 in Cook County comparable; Worth consistent very hard from the same Cook County Lake Michigan Silurian dolomitic supply). The Lake Michigan supply at Cook County — Silurian Niagaran Dolomite (highly dolomitic — primary hardness contributor), Devonian Dundee Limestone (calcareous — secondary contributor), and Quaternary Cook County glacial till (calcareous — TDS contributor).
At 266 mg/L with TDS 686, Worth's water is very hard — a water softener is strongly recommended to protect plumbing and appliances. The PFAS level of 9.3 ppt is very elevated — a certified filter with PFAS removal is strongly recommended. Review the Village of Worth's annual water quality report.
Geology & Source: Worth in Cook County draws from the Worth Water on the Lake Michigan supply (Cook County, northeast Illinois) — Lake Michigan at Cook County draws from Silurian Niagaran Dolomite (highly dolomitic) and Devonian Dundee Limestone (calcareous) — Illinois Cook County Lake Michigan Silurian dolomitic supply produces very hard water at 266 mg/L with TDS 686 mg/L.