South Laurel Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

South Laurel, Maryland, in Prince George's County — a major central Maryland Washington–Baltimore corridor suburban community (South Laurel is a significant Prince George's County census-designated place — a central Maryland unincorporated community immediately south of Laurel along the US-1 corridor; South Laurel is part of the Laurel–South Laurel suburban community that straddles the Prince George's County–Howard County line; South Laurel is a significant Prince George's County suburban community in the mid-Maryland corridor between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore (the Laurel–South Laurel–Beltsville corridor along US-1 and I-95 is a major Prince George's County suburban employment and residential corridor; the area has significant federal government employment — the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), one of the largest and most important agricultural research facilities in the world, is adjacent to the South Laurel community)); South Laurel is one of the most racially diverse communities in Prince George's County (South Laurel has significant African-American, South Asian-American (especially Indian-American), and Central American communities reflecting the broad diversity of the Prince George's County suburban corridor), a diverse Prince George's County community — draws its municipal water supply via the WSSC Water. Water hardness in South Laurel measures 180.5 mg/L — classified as hard.

South Laurel's hard supply reflects the central MD Prince George's County Patuxent River Coastal Plain corridor's calcareous character. The Rocky Gorge Reservoir (Patuxent River) draws from calcareous Patuxent Formation with limited softening, producing the hard 180.5 mg/L.

At 180.5 mg/L, South Laurel residents face regular hard water challenges. Monthly descaling and water softeners are recommended. WSSC Water consistently delivers water meeting all Maryland MDE and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.