Mattapan Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
1.5 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.2
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.002 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
41.3 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.07
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 Mattapan, your appliances are currently losing 3% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Mattapan | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 8.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | — |
| Washing Machine | 12.6 yrs | 12 yrs | — |
| Water Heater | 14.6 yrs | 15 yrs | -3% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Mattapan compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Mattapan, Massachusetts | 26 mg/L | 4.9 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Ashmont, Massachusetts | 82.5 mg/L | 8.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Dorchester, Massachusetts | 103 mg/L | 10.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Milton, Massachusetts | 57.5 mg/L | 7.1 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Hyde Park, Massachusetts | 106 mg/L | 10.5 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Mattapan compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Mattapan | 26 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Mattapan's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Mattapan, Massachusetts, a neighborhood in Boston in Suffolk County — a diverse and historically significant Boston neighborhood (Mattapan has a large Haitian-American, Caribbean-American, and African-American community — one of the highest concentrations of Haitian-Americans in New England), located adjacent to Hyde Park and Milton along the Neponset River, home of the Mattapan Square commercial district and the Mattapan High Speed Line (the only streetcar line remaining in the MBTA system — the Mattapan-Ashmont trolley using 1940s-era Presidents' Conference Committee cars, one of the last of their kind in service in North America), and a vibrant south Boston neighborhood — draws its municipal water supply via the MWRA. Water hardness in Mattapan measures 26 mg/L — classified as very soft.
Mattapan's very soft supply reflects the MWRA Quabbin–Wachusett reservoir system's exceptional softness. The Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs supply (approximately 40–60 mg/L source, with further distribution dilution producing the very soft 26 mg/L in the Mattapan distribution zone — reflecting the south Boston distribution characteristics where the MWRA source retains its near-original softness with minimal infrastructure hardness addition). The south Boston Mattapan zone MWRA distribution produces the very soft 26 mg/L.
With hardness at 26 mg/L, Mattapan residents enjoy extremely soft water. 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 Mattapan neighborhood (MWRA Boston south distribution zone — the Mattapan–Blue Hill Avenue corridor distribution mains; south Boston residential MWRA grid); very soft supply at 26 mg/L reflecting the soft MWRA supply in the Mattapan distribution zone.