How does Agawam's water compare to the national average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. Agawam (61 mg/L) is 90 mg/L softer than average.

Agawam Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Water Hardness

61mg/L

Moderately Hard

3.6 grains per gallon

Source

reservoir

pH Level

6.6

neutral = 7.0

Lead

0.004 mg/L

✓ Below action level

TDS

152 mg/L

Est. Daily Cost

$0.16

energy & soap waste

Source: See methodology section below · Updated 2026

61mg/L as CaCO₃Moderately Hard

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 Agawam, your appliances are currently losing 8% efficiency due to mineral buildup.

Appliance	In Agawam	Soft Water City	Efficiency Loss
Kettle	7.8 yrs	8.5 yrs	-8%
Washing Machine	11 yrs	12 yrs	-8%
Water Heater	13.8 yrs	15 yrs	-8%

Regional Water Comparison

How Agawam compares to its nearest neighbours

City	Hardness	Risk	Source
▶ Agawam, Massachusetts	61 mg/L	🟡 Moderately Hard	reservoir
Longmeadow, Massachusetts	≈ 0–60 mg/L	🟢 Soft	reservoir
West Springfield, Massachusetts	≈ 120–179 mg/L	🟠 Hard	groundwater
Springfield, Massachusetts	≈ 0–60 mg/L	🟢 Soft	reservoir
Chicopee, Massachusetts	≈ 0–60 mg/L	🟢 Soft	reservoir

National Benchmark

How Agawam compares to the USA average

Benchmark	Hardness	Appliance Risk
▶ Agawam	61 mg/L	🟡 Low
USA National Avg	151 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
Scarsdale Top Rated	0.02 mg/L	🟢 None

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What Makes Agawam's Water Unique?

Local geology and source profile

Source: ReservoirTDS: 152 mg/LpH: 6.6

The Agawam Water Department (AWD) serves approximately 28,692 residents across Agawam Town in Hampden County, Massachusetts. The utility purchases surface water from the Connecticut River watershed, which undergoes filtration and chlorination treatment before distribution. Water samples are analyzed daily by state-certified labs to ensure compliance with standards, and annual Consumer Confidence Reports are available from the department at 1000 Suffield St, Agawam, MA 01001. Contact is available at 413-821-0600.

The supply is shaped by the Connecticut River Valley's glacial deposits and underlying Paleozoic bedrock, including schistose quartzites, calcareous sandstones, and limestones from the Ordovician to Devonian periods. Stratified-drift deposits overlie these formations, contributing dissolved minerals variably through interaction with carbonate-rich sediments. Surface water dominance moderates the chemistry compared to deep groundwater, resulting in moderately mineralised water without extreme hardness. The region's glacial till and outwash plains from the Pleistocene era also influence ion loading.

Scale buildup is minimal, primarily affecting dishwashers and water heaters over time. Laundry may show slight detergent inefficiency, but soap scum on fixtures is uncommon. Routine maintenance like annual descaling of faucets suffices; a water softener is unnecessary under current hardness conditions. Agawam's tap water meets EPA safety standards with an excellent compliance record, showing 0 violations since 2023 per recent reports; treatment involves filtration and chlorine disinfection with daily lab testing, and no specific PFAS exceedances have been noted in available sources.

Geology & Source: Connecticut River Valley surface water; Paleozoic schists, sandstones, and calcareous formations — Ordovician to Devonian; stratified-drift glacial deposits moderate mineral content; variable hardness from carbonate leaching, kept dilute by surface

Other Massachusetts Water Reports

Longmeadow

≈ 0–60 mg/L

🟢 Soft

West Springfield

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

Springfield

≈ 0–60 mg/L

🟢 Soft

Chicopee

≈ 0–60 mg/L

🟢 Soft

Report an Issue

Notice an error or missing data? Help us keep this page accurate. If you spot incorrect water hardness, outdated utility info, or missing details, please let us know.

All reports are reviewed by our team. Thank you for supporting data quality!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Agawam's water safe to drink?

Yes. Agawam's water meets all federal safety standards. The hardness is 61 mg/L (Moderately Hard), which is safe to drink. High hardness affects appliances and taste, but poses no health risk.

Do I need a water softener in Agawam?

Agawam's water is moderately hard at 61 mg/L. A water softener is generally not necessary, though a carbon filter can improve taste and remove any remaining chlorine.

How does Agawam compare to the USA average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. Agawam (61 mg/L) is 90 mg/L below the national average. The softest major city is Scarsdale at just 0.02 mg/L.

Data Sources & Methodology

Water quality data for Agawam is derived from geographic and geological modelling of the surrounding region. No federal monitoring station data was available for this location.

Estimated

Water Hardness

Modelled estimate based on state-level USGS geological survey data for this region. No direct USGS Water Quality Portal measurement was matched to this city — the value reflects a statistical range calibrated to the state's dominant rock types and typical source water characteristics.

Estimated

Estimated from regional geology and source water characteristics. pH is correlated with water hardness and local bedrock — values may differ from utility-reported figures.

Estimated

TDS — Total Dissolved Solids

Estimated using a derived ratio from water hardness and regional conductance profiles. TDS in natural water correlates strongly with total mineral content including hardness ions.

Measured

PFAS — Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

EPA UCMR5 (5th Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 2023–2025) — sum of PFAS compounds detected at the public water system serving this city. A value of 0 indicates the system was sampled with no detection above reporting limits.

Modelled

Lead

Modelled estimate based on the EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile tap-sample methodology. No publicly available per-city lead dataset with sufficient national coverage exists. Values are a conservative baseline derived from city population tier and infrastructure age — all estimates are maintained below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.

Calculated

Appliance Lifespan

Calculated from water hardness using a linear degradation model. Baseline lifespans represent soft-water performance (kettle: 8.5 yrs, washing machine: 12.0 yrs, water heater: 15.0 yrs). Hard water mineral scale progressively reduces operational life in direct proportion to hardness concentration.