Jamaica Plain Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
1.3 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.1
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.001 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
34.9 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.06
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 Jamaica Plain, your appliances are currently losing 3% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Jamaica Plain | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 8.9 yrs | 8.5 yrs | — |
| Washing Machine | 12.8 yrs | 12 yrs | — |
| Water Heater | 14.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -2% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Jamaica Plain compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts | 22.5 mg/L | 4.7 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Roslindale, Massachusetts | 46 mg/L | 6.3 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Brookline, Massachusetts | 65.5 mg/L | 7.7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Mission Hill, Massachusetts | 109 mg/L | 10.7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts | 49.5 mg/L | 6.5 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Jamaica Plain compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Jamaica Plain | 22.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Jamaica Plain's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, a neighborhood in Boston in Suffolk County — a diverse and vibrant Boston neighborhood known for its multicultural character (Jamaica Plain has a significant Latino-American, Dominican-American, and Puerto Rican community alongside the rapidly growing young professional population), home of the Arnold Arboretum (the oldest public arboretum in North America — a major Harvard University resource and Boston green space along the Emerald Necklace), Centre Street's eclectic mix of restaurants and shops, and Jamaica Pond (a glacial kettle pond that is the largest freshwater pond in Boston) — draws its municipal water supply via the MWRA. Water hardness in Jamaica Plain measures 22.5 mg/L — classified as very soft.
Jamaica Plain's very soft supply reflects the MWRA Quabbin–Wachusett reservoir system's exceptional softness — among the softest public water supplies in New England. The Quabbin Reservoir drains the Quabbin watershed in central Massachusetts (Devonian–Silurian calcareous-poor Pelham Dome gneiss and Belchertown Intrusive Suite — calcareous-poor crystalline Precambrian and Paleozoic meta-igneous basement). The Jamaica Plain distribution zone (southwest Boston) receives this exceptionally soft MWRA supply, producing the very soft 22.5 mg/L.
With hardness at 22.5 mg/L, Jamaica Plain residents enjoy remarkably soft water — one of the softest urban water supplies in New England. MWRA consistently delivers water meeting all Massachusetts MassDEP and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs (MWRA) via the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) — the Suffolk County Boston Jamaica Plain neighborhood (MWRA Boston metro distribution grid — the Jamaica Plain–Roxbury distribution mains; older southwest Boston urban zone); very soft supply at 22.5 mg/L reflecting the soft MWRA supply in the Jamaica Plain zone.