Somerville Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
1.7 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.2
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.002 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
48.1 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.08
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 Somerville, your appliances are currently losing 4% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Somerville | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 8.6 yrs | 8.5 yrs | — |
| Washing Machine | 12.5 yrs | 12 yrs | — |
| Water Heater | 14.4 yrs | 15 yrs | -4% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Somerville compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Somerville, Massachusetts | 29.5 mg/L | 5.2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Winter Hill, Massachusetts | 118.5 mg/L | 11.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Union Square, Massachusetts | 79 mg/L | 8.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Cambridge, Massachusetts | 86 mg/L | 9.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Mid-Cambridge, Massachusetts | 79 mg/L | 8.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Somerville compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Somerville | 29.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Somerville's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Somerville, Massachusetts — the most densely populated city in New England, in Middlesex County adjacent to Cambridge and Boston — draws its municipal water supply from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), receiving water from the Quabbin Reservoir (Swift River, central Massachusetts) and the Wachusett Reservoir (Nashua River, central Massachusetts) via the MWRA metropolitan distribution network. The Quabbin–Wachusett system is one of the largest unfiltered municipal water supplies in the United States. Water hardness in Somerville measures 29.5 mg/L — classified as very soft.
Somerville's extremely soft supply reflects the Central Massachusetts Highland watersheds of the Quabbin–Wachusett system. The Quabbin watershed in the Swift River Valley (Franklin, Hampshire, Worcester Counties) is underlain by: Precambrian Brimfield Schist and Monson Gneiss (ancient Proterozoic metamorphic basement — calcium-depleted); Ordovician Fitchburg Quartz Monzonite and related intrusive bodies; Devonian Hardwick Tonalite and Amherst Pluton granitic rocks; and Silurian Oakdale Formation quartzite and phyllite. These are ancient, deeply metamorphosed crystalline rocks with essentially zero soluble calcium content — some of New England's most ancient and calcium-poor geology. The result is one of the softest major metropolitan water supplies in the United States.
With hardness at 29.5 mg/L, Somerville residents enjoy extremely soft water — essentially zero scale challenges throughout the home. Soap and shampoo lather immediately and generously. MWRA consistently delivers water meeting all Massachusetts DEP and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the Quabbin Reservoir (Swift River watershed) and Wachusett Reservoir (Nashua River watershed) via the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) — the Central Massachusetts Uplands Precambrian Brimfield Schist, Monson Gneiss, and Devonian Hardwick Tonalite and Ordovician Fitchburg Complex terrain; extremely soft supply at 29.5 mg/L in Middlesex County.