Laurel Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Laurel, Maryland, in Prince George's County — a major central Maryland Washington–Baltimore corridor city (Laurel is a significant Prince George's County city — a central Maryland community situated almost exactly halfway between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore; Laurel is a classic mid-Maryland corridor community that has served as a crossroads since colonial times (the Old Town Laurel historic district reflects the city's pre-Revolutionary and Federal-era heritage as a mill town on the Patuxent River; the Patuxent River mill sites in Laurel were among the most important early industrial sites in Maryland)); Laurel is home of the Laurel Park (Laurel Race Course) — one of the most historically significant thoroughbred racing facilities in Maryland (Laurel Park has been one of the premiere Maryland horse racing venues since the early 20th century; the mid-Maryland corridor including Laurel has been central to Maryland's thoroughbred racing heritage); Laurel is one of the most racially and economically diverse cities in central Maryland — the city's position between the predominantly African-American Prince George's County suburbs and the Baltimore–Washington corridor has created a complex and diverse community demographic, a diverse Prince George's County community — draws its municipal water supply from the Rocky Gorge Reservoir via the WSSC Water. Water hardness in Laurel measures 91.5 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.

Laurel's moderate softness reflects the central MD Prince George's County Patuxent River watershed's calcareous-poor character. The Rocky Gorge Reservoir (Patuxent River) draws from calcareous-poor Piedmont watershed with effective WSSC softening, producing the moderately soft 91.5 mg/L.

With hardness at 91.5 mg/L, Laurel residents enjoy moderately soft water. WSSC Water consistently delivers water meeting all Maryland MDE and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.