Marblehead Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
7 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.9
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.009 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
313.7 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.32
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 Marblehead, your appliances are currently losing 16% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Marblehead | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 5.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -33% |
| Washing Machine | 9.2 yrs | 12 yrs | -23% |
| Water Heater | 10.8 yrs | 15 yrs | -28% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Marblehead compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Marblehead, Massachusetts | 119 mg/L | 11.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Salem, Massachusetts | 87 mg/L | 9.2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Beverly Cove, Massachusetts | 25.5 mg/L | 4.9 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Beverly, Massachusetts | 25 mg/L | 4.8 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Swampscott, Massachusetts | 80 mg/L | 8.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Marblehead compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Marblehead | 119 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Marblehead's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Marblehead, Massachusetts, in Essex County — a historic harbor town on Marblehead Neck and the rocky Massachusetts North Shore, famous as the birthplace of the American Navy and as one of New England's preeminent sailing communities — receives its municipal water from the Marblehead Water and Sewer Department or purchased wholesale from Lynn Water and Sewer, drawing from local Essex County reservoirs or the Lynn/MWRA interconnected supply system.
The moderately hard 119 mg/L hardness and elevated TDS of 313.7 mg/L are higher than the typical soft Massachusetts MWRA supply (Boston-area MWRA: ~40-70 mg/L) — reflecting either corrosion control chemistry additions or a local supply blend with higher mineral content. Marblehead's older distribution system and historic lead service line legacy (lead 0.009 mg/L — one of the highest in the dataset) may require aggressive corrosion control chemistry (lime and sodium hydroxide addition) that raises finished water hardness significantly above raw source values from the soft Essex County crystalline watershed.
At 119 mg/L, Marblehead's water is moderately hard — scale builds in kettles and appliances over months, dishwashers benefit from rinse aid, and faucet aerators need periodic cleaning. Quarterly descaling is appropriate. The PFAS level of 11.4 ppt is very high — the highest PFAS reading in this batch — and warrants a certified reverse osmosis drinking water filter. The Salem industrial corridor (North Shore PFAS industrial legacy), Hanscom AFB (Middlesex County air base AFFF user upstream in the watershed), and the Essex County defense-textile manufacturing belt contribute to Marblehead's extreme PFAS readings.
Geology & Source: Marblehead in Essex County draws from the Marblehead Water Department treating Swampscott Reservoir or buying wholesale from Lynn Water and Sewer — the Lynn water supply accesses Saugus Iron Works watershed or the Ipswich River basin (Precambrian Essex County plutonic and metavolcanic terrain) — Massachusetts Precambrian crystalline watershed drainage produces moderately hard water at 119 mg/L with elevated TDS 314 mg/L in this Essex County Massachusetts town.