Nashua Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
4.5 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.008 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
199.7 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.21
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 Nashua, your appliances are currently losing 10% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Nashua | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -18% |
| Washing Machine | 10.7 yrs | 12 yrs | -11% |
| Water Heater | 12.5 yrs | 15 yrs | -17% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Nashua compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Nashua, New Hampshire | 77.5 mg/L | 8.5 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Merrimack, New Hampshire | 61.5 mg/L | 7.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Pelham, New Hampshire | 29 mg/L | 4.7 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Windham, New Hampshire | 66.5 mg/L | 7.7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Derry, New Hampshire | 18 mg/L | 3.9 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Nashua compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Nashua | 77.5 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Nashua's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Nashua, New Hampshire — the second-largest city in New Hampshire in Hillsborough County on the Massachusetts border — draws its municipal water supply from the Pennichuck Water Works (a public water utility), sourcing from Pennichuck Pond and Pennichuck Brook watershed in Nashua and Merrimack, plus the Merrimack River via the Nashua Water Treatment Plant (a supplemental surface water source). Pennichuck Water Works has served Nashua since 1853. Water hardness measures 77.5 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Nashua's moderately soft supply reflects the Pennichuck watershed's New Hampshire granite geology. The Pennichuck Pond drainage basin is underlain by the Precambrian–Ordovician Milford–Concord Granite (the pink Milford Granite used widely in New England monuments) and associated Merrimack Belt metamorphic rocks (Ordovician Smalls Falls Formation, Berwick Formation). These ancient New Hampshire Paleozoic granites and metamorphics — like other New England crystalline basement rocks — contribute negligible dissolved calcium to watershed drainage, producing naturally soft water. The Merrimack River component at Nashua adds slightly more mineral content from its diverse upper watershed, but the overall supply remains moderately soft.
With hardness at 77.5 mg/L, Nashua residents experience minimal to moderate scale challenges. Faucet aerators and showerheads develop deposits slowly — bi-monthly cleaning with citric acid solution is sufficient. Dishwashers produce clean glassware. Pennichuck Water Works consistently delivers water meeting all New Hampshire DES and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Mixed supply from the Pennichuck Brook and Pennichuck Pond watershed and the Merrimack River via the Pennichuck Water Works — the Southern New Hampshire Precambrian Milford–Concord granite, Fitchburg–Concord intrusive complex; the Nashua–Pennichuck watershed on the Precambrian granite terrain produces moderately soft supply at 77.5 mg/L in Hillsborough County.