Odenton Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
9.3 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
8.1
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.006 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
363.8 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.42
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 Odenton, your appliances are currently losing 21% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Odenton | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.4 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -48% |
| Washing Machine | 7.7 yrs | 12 yrs | -36% |
| Water Heater | 9.2 yrs | 15 yrs | -39% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Odenton compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Odenton, Maryland | 159 mg/L | 8.6 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Severn, Maryland | 143 mg/L | 7.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Crofton, Maryland | 87.5 mg/L | 4.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| South Gate, Maryland | 180 mg/L | 9.8 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | reservoir |
| Glen Burnie, Maryland | 138.5 mg/L | 7.5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Odenton compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Odenton | 159 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Odenton's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Odenton, Maryland, an unincorporated community in Anne Arundel County — a major Anne Arundel County community adjacent to Fort Meade (home of NSA — the National Security Agency, one of the largest employers in Maryland, headquartered at Fort Meade), a major MARC train commuter community (Odenton has one of the busiest MARC Penn Line train stations — a major commuter hub for NSA and federal government employees in the Baltimore–Washington corridor), and a rapidly growing Anne Arundel County community with significant federal government and military professional population in the BWI corridor — draws its municipal water supply via the WSSC Water. Water hardness in Odenton measures 159 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Odenton's moderate hardness reflects the WSSC supply characteristics and the Anne Arundel County distribution characteristics. The WSSC Patuxent River system (Rocky Gorge and Triadelphia Reservoirs) drains the Maryland Piedmont (Precambrian calcareous-moderate gneiss and schist — the Howard–Montgomery County Piedmont crystalline belt) and the Cambrian Cockeysville Marble (calcareous marble formation). WSSC distributes to the south Anne Arundel County Odenton zone (significant post-2000 era development mains serving the Fort Meade–Odenton growth corridor), producing the moderate 159 mg/L.
At 159 mg/L, Odenton residents encounter moderate-to-hard scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning with citric acid solution is recommended. WSSC Water consistently delivers water meeting all Maryland MDE and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: River and reservoir supply via the WSSC Water (Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission) — the Anne Arundel County central Maryland Fort Meade–Odenton corridor (WSSC Patuxent River Rocky Gorge and Triadelphia Reservoirs — the Maryland Piedmont calcareous-moderate crystalline supply; WSSC south distribution to Odenton Anne Arundel zone); moderately hard supply at 159 mg/L in Anne Arundel County.