Holyoke Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5.2 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.006 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
204.3 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 Holyoke, your appliances are currently losing 12% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Holyoke | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -21% |
| Washing Machine | 10.3 yrs | 12 yrs | -14% |
| Water Heater | 12 yrs | 15 yrs | -20% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Holyoke compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Holyoke, Massachusetts | 89 mg/L | 9.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| North Chicopee, Massachusetts | 115.5 mg/L | 11.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Chicopee, Massachusetts | 21.5 mg/L | 4.6 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| South Hadley, Massachusetts | 35.5 mg/L | 5.6 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Easthampton, Massachusetts | 21.5 mg/L | 4.6 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Holyoke compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Holyoke | 89 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Holyoke's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Holyoke, Massachusetts, in Hampden County — a major Connecticut River Valley Massachusetts city, historically the 'Paper City' (Holyoke was the world's largest producer of fine writing paper in the 19th–early 20th centuries, powered by the nation's first planned industrial city water power canal system — the Holyoke Water Power Company canals), home of Holyoke Community College, the Volleyball Hall of Fame (Holyoke is the birthplace of volleyball — invented by William G. Morgan at the Holyoke YMCA in 1895), and a majority Latino-American (primarily Puerto Rican) city and a diverse Massachusetts community — draws its municipal water supply from Cobble Mountain Reservoir via the City of Holyoke Water Division. Water hardness in Holyoke measures 89 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Holyoke's moderate softness reflects the western Massachusetts reservoir watershed's mixed geology, similar to neighboring Westfield (85.5 mg/L) using related watersheds. The Cobble Mountain Reservoir and Whiting Reservoir drain: the Westfield Highland (Precambrian–Ordovician calcareous-poor Berkshire gneiss — western Massachusetts crystalline upland, calcareous-poor); and the Hartford Basin fringe (Jurassic Portland Arkose — moderately calcareous Connecticut Valley Mesozoic sediment). The City of Holyoke treatment produces the moderate 89 mg/L.
With hardness at 89 mg/L, Holyoke residents enjoy moderately soft water. City of Holyoke Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Massachusetts MassDEP and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the Cobble Mountain Reservoir (Westfield River watershed) and Whiting Reservoir via the City of Holyoke Water Division — the Hampden County Massachusetts Connecticut River Valley (Jurassic Hartford Basin calcareous-moderate Portland Arkose and Precambrian–Ordovician calcareous-poor Berkshire Highland gneiss); moderately soft supply at 89 mg/L in Hampden County.