Catonsville Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
7 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
227.5 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.32
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 Catonsville, your appliances are currently losing 16% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Catonsville | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 5.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -33% |
| Washing Machine | 9.2 yrs | 12 yrs | -23% |
| Water Heater | 10.8 yrs | 15 yrs | -28% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Catonsville compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Catonsville, Maryland | 119.5 mg/L | 6.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Arbutus, Maryland | 87 mg/L | 4.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Ilchester, Maryland | 143 mg/L | 7.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Woodlawn, Maryland | 129 mg/L | 6.9 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Elkridge, Maryland | 169 mg/L | 9.2 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Catonsville compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Catonsville | 119.5 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Catonsville's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Catonsville, Maryland, an unincorporated community in Baltimore County — a major Baltimore County western suburb, home of the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC — a public research university known for computer science, engineering, and the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program for STEM diversity), the site of the 1968 Catonsville Nine anti-Vietnam War protest (Daniel Berrigan and others burned draft files — a landmark anti-war action), and a diverse Baltimore County community at the western Baltimore metro fringe — draws its municipal water supply from the Patapsco River via the Baltimore City Bureau of Water and Wastewater. Water hardness in Catonsville measures 119.5 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Catonsville's moderate hardness reflects the Patapsco River Maryland Piedmont watershed characteristics. The Patapsco River watershed drains: the Maryland Piedmont Province (Precambrian–Ordovician calcareous-poor crystalline rocks — the Maryland Piedmont Glenarm Series and Baltimore Mafic Complex — calcareous-poor metamorphic and mafic terrain); and the Blue Ridge Front (the Catoctin Formation metavolcanic greenstone and Cambrian calcareous dolomite of the Hagerstown Valley contributing some hardness to the upper Patapsco). Baltimore City's water treatment system and Catonsville's distribution infrastructure produce the moderate 119.5 mg/L.
At 119.5 mg/L, Catonsville residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning with citric acid solution is recommended for faucet aerators and showerheads. Baltimore City Bureau of Water and Wastewater consistently delivers water meeting all Maryland MDE and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: River supply from the Patapsco River (Ashburton Filtration Plant) via Baltimore City Bureau of Water and Wastewater — the Baltimore County Maryland western Baltimore suburban corridor (Precambrian–Ordovician calcareous-poor Piedmont crystalline terrain of the Maryland Piedmont Province, Patapsco watershed); moderately hard supply at 119.5 mg/L in Baltimore County.