Fall River Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Fall River Water Department serves approximately 94,000 residents across the city of Fall River in Bristol County, Massachusetts. Primary drinking water comes from North Watuppa Pond, with supplemental capacity from Copicut Reservoir — when needed, water is pumped from Copicut into the North Watuppa watershed. Emergency reserves include South Watuppa Pond, Terry Brook Pond, Sawdy, Stafford, and Devol Ponds, and Lake Noquochoke, ensuring a robust multi-source supply. The utility employs conventional filtration and hypochlorite disinfection, with watershed lands patrolled by the Fall River Environmental Police Unit and dams inspected under State Office of Dam Safety requirements.

The North Watuppa Pond watershed overlies Precambrian metamorphic bedrock blanketed by glacial deposits typical of New England. The crystalline basement is dominated by granitic and gneissic formations that lack carbonate-rich strata, so the water encounters little limestone or dolomite. This geology produces naturally soft water with very low dissolved mineral content — a result of minimal calcium and magnesium dissolution from non-carbonate crystalline rock. An interceptor drain along Route 24 at the pond's western boundary further protects the watershed from highway runoff contamination.

Fall River's supply is classified as soft, requiring no water softening treatment. Residents benefit from minimal scale buildup on plumbing and household appliances — water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines — extending equipment lifespan, and soap and detergent consumption is naturally reduced. The water carries a pH of 6.8 and total dissolved solids of 24 ppm. The utility has reported 4 contaminants above EPA health-based guidelines (MCLGs); treatment relies on conventional filtration and hypochlorite disinfection, with no significant contamination sources identified in the North Watuppa or Copicut watersheds.