Middleborough Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
2.6 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.3
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.003 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
81.2 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.12
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 Middleborough, your appliances are currently losing 6% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Middleborough | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 8.1 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -5% |
| Washing Machine | 11.9 yrs | 12 yrs | -1% |
| Water Heater | 13.8 yrs | 15 yrs | -8% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Middleborough compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Middleborough, Massachusetts | 45 mg/L | 6.2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| East Bridgewater, Massachusetts | 118 mg/L | 11.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Raynham, Massachusetts | 20 mg/L | 4.5 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Taunton, Massachusetts | 86.5 mg/L | 9.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Whitman, Massachusetts | 100.5 mg/L | 10.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Middleborough compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Middleborough | 45 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Middleborough's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Middleborough, Massachusetts, in Plymouth County in the heart of southeastern Massachusetts — a classic New England town at the cranberry bog capital of Massachusetts, historically an important Native American gathering place (Nemasket village) — receives its municipal water from the Town of Middleborough Water Department, drawing from local reservoir impoundments in the Nemasket River watershed and groundwater wells in the Taunton River basin of Plymouth County. Middleborough's water supply system is independent of the MWRA regional grid, depending on local Plymouth County water resources.
The very soft 45 mg/L hardness and low TDS of 81.2 mg/L reflect Plymouth County's ancient crystalline basement geology. The watershed draining into Middleborough's reservoir system covers the Plymouth County landscape underlain by the Precambrian Dedham Granite — a massive Proterozoic granite intrusion that forms the foundation of much of southeastern Massachusetts — and related Avalonian terrane basement rocks (volcanic-arc metasedimentary rocks of the Taunton-Attleboro-Middleborough Avalon zone). These ancient crystalline rocks, stable for over 550 million years, contain no soluble carbonate minerals and produce characteristically soft water throughout the Plymouth County aquifer and surface water supply zones.
At 45 mg/L, Middleborough's water is very soft — excellent for household appliances and comfortable for all uses. Scale forms slowly over many months in kettles and appliances, soap lathers well, and the dishwasher produces clean results without rinse aid. Semi-annual descaling of heating appliances is adequate. The PFAS level of 6.2 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — Plymouth County's military presence (Joint Base Cape Cod) and the southeastern Massachusetts industrial corridor contribute to PFAS in the regional groundwater and surface water supply despite the pristine source rock geology.
Geology & Source: Middleborough in Plymouth County draws from the Town of Middleborough local reservoir system — the reservoir watershed drains Plymouth County over Precambrian Dedham Granite and Avalonian basement rocks with negligible carbonate content — ancient Avalonian crystalline terrain of southeastern Massachusetts produces very soft water at 45 mg/L characteristic of the Plymouth County supply.