Cranford Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
7.3 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.9
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.006 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
276.2 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.33
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 Cranford, your appliances are currently losing 17% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Cranford | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 5.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -35% |
| Washing Machine | 9 yrs | 12 yrs | -25% |
| Water Heater | 10.6 yrs | 15 yrs | -29% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Cranford compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Cranford, New Jersey | 124.5 mg/L | 9.9 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Clark, New Jersey | 103.5 mg/L | 8.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Roselle Park, New Jersey | 51.5 mg/L | 5.8 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Roselle, New Jersey | 51.5 mg/L | 5.8 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Westfield, New Jersey | 66 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Cranford compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Cranford | 124.5 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Cranford's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Cranford, New Jersey, in Union County — a well-established Union County suburban community known for its Tudor-style homes along the Rahway River flood plain — receives its municipal water from New Jersey American Water or the Elizabethtown Water Company, drawing from the Raritan River Basin reservoir system or the Elizabethtown/Middlesex-Somerset reservoir network. The New Jersey American Water Central Division serves Union County communities through the interconnected Raritan and New Brunswick watershed supply infrastructure.
The moderately hard 124.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 276.2 mg/L reflect the Raritan Basin watershed's mixed New Jersey Piedmont geology. The Raritan River and its tributaries drain the New Jersey Piedmont — a broad belt of Triassic Newark Basin red sandstone, shale, and diabase sills (Brunswick Formation, Passaic Formation) with moderate mineral content — as well as the Precambrian New Jersey Highlands (gneiss and granite), which contribute harder carbonate and crystalline inputs. The Raritan Basin's mix of Triassic and Precambrian rock produces a moderately hard, moderate-TDS finished supply throughout the New Jersey American Water Central Region service area.
At 124.5 mg/L, Cranford's water is moderately hard — consistent with the Union County-Raritan supply profile. Scale builds in kettles and appliances over months, the dishwasher benefits from rinse aid, and bathroom fixtures develop calcium deposits. Quarterly descaling of heating appliances is the standard schedule. The critically elevated PFAS level of 9.9 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter with urgency — Union County's position in the densely industrialized northern New Jersey corridor (chemical plants, refinery complex, former industrial sites along the Rahway River), combined with the Raritan River basin's extensive PFAS contamination from multiple industrial and military sources, produces one of New Jersey's more serious PFAS profiles. A certified reverse osmosis drinking water system is strongly recommended.
Geology & Source: Cranford in Union County is served by New Jersey American Water or the Elizabethtown Water company drawing from the Raritan River reservoir system — the Raritan watershed drains the New Jersey Piedmont (Triassic Newark Basin redbed sedimentary rocks and Precambrian Highlands gneiss) — moderate Piedmont and Triassic basin watershed drainage produces moderately hard water at 124.5 mg/L with TDS 276 mg/L in this Union County community.