Acton Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
3.4 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.4
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
111.7 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.15
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 Acton, your appliances are currently losing 8% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Acton | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 7.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -9% |
| Washing Machine | 11.5 yrs | 12 yrs | -4% |
| Water Heater | 13.3 yrs | 15 yrs | -11% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Acton compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Acton, Massachusetts | 57.5 mg/L | 7.1 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Concord, Massachusetts | 52.5 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Westford, Massachusetts | 87 mg/L | 9.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Sudbury, Massachusetts | 73.5 mg/L | 8.2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Chelmsford, Massachusetts | 123 mg/L | 11.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Acton compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Acton | 57.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Acton's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Acton, Massachusetts, in Middlesex County — a prosperous western Middlesex County town in the MetroWest corridor west of Boston, part of the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District, a high-income tech industry suburb — receives its municipal water from the Acton Water Division, which draws from local wells in the Acton area or through the MWRA (Massachusetts Water Resources Authority) connection, supplemented by local groundwater from the Nashoba Terrane and glacial outwash aquifers in western Middlesex County.
The moderately soft 57.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 111.7 mg/L reflect Acton's western Middlesex County crystalline and glacial aquifer character. The Acton area is underlain by the Nashoba Terrane (Precambrian metamorphic rocks — Nashoba Zone phyllite, schist, and granodiorite, representing an ancient accreted terrane in the New England basement) and overlying Pleistocene glacial outwash sand and gravel aquifers. The Nashoba Terrane rocks have minimal carbonate content, producing moderately soft groundwater characteristic of western Middlesex County. The glacial outwash aquifers also provide relatively soft, low-mineral groundwater from meltwater sand and gravel deposits.
At 57.5 mg/L, Acton's water is moderately soft — comfortable for household use. Scale forms slowly over many months, soap lathers well, and appliances operate efficiently. Semi-annual descaling is adequate. The PFAS level of 7.1 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — Acton is directly adjacent to the W.R. Grace Superfund Site (the Acton industrial park where W.R. Grace and Company operated a manufacturing facility with significant volatile organic compound and PFAS contamination affecting Acton's aquifers), and the broader Route 2 tech corridor's industrial legacy contributes to western Middlesex County's elevated PFAS readings.
Geology & Source: Acton in Middlesex County draws from the Acton Water Division on local MWRA connection or local well fields — the Acton area sits at the Nashoba Terrane (Precambrian Nashoba Zone granodiorite and phyllite) and the Merrimack Trough metamorphic complex — Nashoba Terrane crystalline and metamorphic drainage produces moderately soft water at 57.5 mg/L with TDS 112 mg/L in this Middlesex County Massachusetts town.