Pikesville Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.001 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
133 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.23
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 Pikesville, your appliances are currently losing 11% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Pikesville | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.8 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -20% |
| Washing Machine | 10.5 yrs | 12 yrs | -13% |
| Water Heater | 12.2 yrs | 15 yrs | -19% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Pikesville compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Pikesville, Maryland | 85 mg/L | 4.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Lochearn, Maryland | 119.5 mg/L | 6.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Gwynn Oak, Maryland | 182.5 mg/L | 10 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | reservoir |
| Woodlawn, Maryland | 129 mg/L | 6.9 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Milford Mill, Maryland | 190 mg/L | 10.4 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Pikesville compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Pikesville | 85 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Pikesville's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Pikesville, Maryland, an unincorporated community in Baltimore County — a major northwest Baltimore County suburban community (Pikesville is a significant Baltimore County unincorporated community along Reisterstown Road and I-695 (the Baltimore Beltway) — one of the most significant northwest Baltimore County communities; Pikesville is particularly known for its large Jewish-American community — one of the largest concentrations of Jewish community institutions, synagogues, kosher restaurants, and Jewish cultural organizations in the Baltimore metro area; the Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jewish communities in Pikesville represent a major demographic and cultural feature of northwest Baltimore County), a diverse Baltimore County community with a significant Jewish-American, African-American, and working-class professional population, home of the Maryland State Police headquarters (the statewide law enforcement agency's headquarters is in Pikesville), and adjacent to Owings Mills and Randallstown in the northwest Baltimore County corridor — draws its municipal water supply via the Baltimore City DPW. Water hardness in Pikesville measures 85 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Pikesville's moderate softness reflects the northwest Baltimore County Baltimore City DPW supply's effective treatment. The BCDPW distributes Loch Raven and Prettyboy Reservoir supply (draining Precambrian Piedmont gneiss — calcareous-poor) to the northwest Baltimore County Pikesville zone, producing the moderately soft 85 mg/L.
With hardness at 85 mg/L, Pikesville residents enjoy moderately soft water. Baltimore City DPW consistently delivers water meeting all Maryland MDE and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the Prettyboy and Loch Raven Reservoirs (Gunpowder River watershed) via the Baltimore City DPW — the Baltimore County northwest suburban Pikesville corridor (Precambrian calcareous-poor Maryland Piedmont gneiss — the BCDPW northwest Baltimore County distribution to Pikesville zone; effective treatment producing soft supply); moderately soft supply at 85 mg/L in Baltimore County.