Pittsfield Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.006 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
194.8 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.23
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 Pittsfield, your appliances are currently losing 11% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Pittsfield | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.8 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -20% |
| Washing Machine | 10.4 yrs | 12 yrs | -13% |
| Water Heater | 12.2 yrs | 15 yrs | -19% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Pittsfield compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Pittsfield, Massachusetts | 86 mg/L | 9.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| North Adams, Massachusetts | 111.5 mg/L | 10.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Troy, New York | 160.5 mg/L | 7.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Albany, New York | 110 mg/L | 5.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Cohoes, New York | 161.5 mg/L | 7.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Pittsfield compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Pittsfield | 86 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Pittsfield home
Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →
What Makes Pittsfield's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the Berkshire County seat in the Housatonic River valley — the largest city in western Massachusetts, a major arts and culture destination (Tanglewood Music Center, home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra's summer season; Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival; numerous Berkshire cultural institutions), and a historic manufacturing city known for General Electric's plastics and transformer manufacturing (Pittsfield was the GE plastics world headquarters) that is transforming into a creative economy hub — draws its municipal water supply from Onota Lake and the West Branch Watershed via the City of Pittsfield Water Division. Water hardness in Pittsfield measures 86 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Pittsfield's moderate softness reflects the Berkshire County watershed's predominantly calcareous-poor geology, with some calcareous input from the Housatonic Valley marble zone. The Onota Lake watershed and West Branch drain: the Berkshire Hills (Proterozoic–Ordovician Berkshire schist and gneiss — the Berkshire crystalline core, calcareous-poor metamorphic terrain); and the Stockbridge Belt (Cambrian Stockbridge Marble — the calcareous marble formation of the Taconic-Berkshire zone, moderately calcareous carbonate). The blend of calcareous-poor Berkshire upland and some Stockbridge Marble valley drainage produces the moderate 86 mg/L at Pittsfield.
With hardness at 86 mg/L, Pittsfield residents enjoy moderately soft water. City of Pittsfield Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Massachusetts MassDEP and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the Pittsfield watershed (West Branch and Onota Lake) via the City of Pittsfield Water Division — the Berkshire County western Massachusetts Hoosac Range (Proterozoic–Ordovician calcareous-poor Berkshire schist and gneiss + Cambrian Stockbridge Marble calcareous zone in the valley); moderately soft supply at 86 mg/L in Berkshire County.