Framingham Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5.3 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.006 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
207.7 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.24
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 Framingham, your appliances are currently losing 12% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Framingham | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.6 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -22% |
| Washing Machine | 10.3 yrs | 12 yrs | -14% |
| Water Heater | 12 yrs | 15 yrs | -20% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Framingham compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Framingham, Massachusetts | 90 mg/L | 9.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Framingham Center, Massachusetts | 90 mg/L | 9.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Ashland, Massachusetts | 81.5 mg/L | 8.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Natick, Massachusetts | 91 mg/L | 9.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Holliston, Massachusetts | 85 mg/L | 9 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Framingham compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Framingham | 90 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Framingham's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Framingham, Massachusetts, in Middlesex County — the largest town in Massachusetts and now officially a city (re-incorporated 2017), a MetroWest anchor community adjacent to the Massachusetts Turnpike — draws its municipal water supply from the Cochituate Reservoir (Lake Cochituate) and the Framingham Reservoir system via the Framingham Water Division, treating reservoir water serving the Framingham metro area. The Framingham reservoirs draw from the MetroWest Massachusetts crystalline watershed. Water hardness in Framingham measures 90 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Framingham's moderately soft supply reflects the MetroWest Massachusetts reservoir watershed's crystalline bedrock. The Framingham–Cochituate area watersheds drain: the Proterozoic Dedham Granite (southeastern New England Precambrian granitic basement — calcium-poor); the Milford Pink Granite (a distinctive Proterozoic biotite granite of the Milford–Hopkinton area); and the Ordovician Marlboro Formation (metamorphic quartzite and phyllite). These crystalline and metamorphic formations dissolve very slowly, producing naturally soft water. The 90 mg/L is slightly elevated above some other MetroWest watersheds due to trace calcareous sedimentary interbeds in the Marlboro Formation and glacial till calcium leaching from the watershed soils.
With hardness at 90 mg/L, Framingham residents enjoy moderately soft water with minimal scale challenges. Framingham Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Massachusetts MassDEP and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the Sudbury–Cochituate–Framingham Reservoir system via the Framingham Water Division — the MetroWest Massachusetts Proterozoic Dedham Granite, Marlboro Formation, and Milford Pink Granite terrain; moderately soft supply at 90 mg/L — consistent with MetroWest Massachusetts crystalline rock watershed supply.