Hillsborough Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5.5 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.6
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
186.9 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.25
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 Hillsborough, your appliances are currently losing 13% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Hillsborough | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -24% |
| Washing Machine | 10.1 yrs | 12 yrs | -16% |
| Water Heater | 11.8 yrs | 15 yrs | -21% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Hillsborough compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Hillsborough, New Jersey | 94.5 mg/L | 8.2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Bradley Gardens, New Jersey | 59 mg/L | 6.3 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Franklin Park, New Jersey | 46 mg/L | 5.5 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Bridgewater, New Jersey | 148.5 mg/L | 11.3 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Princeton, New Jersey | 168 mg/L | 12.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Hillsborough compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Hillsborough | 94.5 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Hillsborough's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Hillsborough, New Jersey, in Somerset County — a major central Somerset County suburban community, a large and growing township in the New York–Philadelphia metro corridor, one of the largest municipalities in Somerset County by area, adjacent to Raritan, Manville, and Bound Brook in the Raritan Valley corridor, and a diverse Somerset County community with significant Indian-American and Chinese-American populations in its various residential enclaves — draws its municipal water supply from Raritan River Basin groundwater via the Hillsborough Township Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA). Water hardness in Hillsborough measures 94.5 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Hillsborough's moderate softness reflects the Somerset County central New Jersey Piedmont watershed's calcareous-moderate geology. The Raritan River Basin at Hillsborough–Somerset County drains: the Precambrian calcareous-poor Highlands gneiss (the New Jersey Highlands crystalline terrain — calcareous-poor, the dominant source of Hillsborough's water); and the Newark Basin Triassic Passaic Formation (calcareous-moderate red arkose and mudstone). The Hillsborough Township MUA treatment of the calcareous-moderate Piedmont watershed produces the moderate 94.5 mg/L.
With hardness at 94.5 mg/L, Hillsborough residents enjoy moderately soft water. Hillsborough Township MUA consistently delivers water meeting all New Jersey DEP and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Groundwater from the Raritan River Basin aquifer (Flemington–Raritan magmatic arc zone) via the Hillsborough Township MUA — the Somerset County central New Jersey Piedmont (Precambrian calcareous-poor Highlands gneiss and Triassic–Jurassic Newark Basin Passaic Formation calcareous-moderate red beds — the central New Jersey Piedmont calcareous-moderate terrain); moderately soft supply at 94.5 mg/L in Somerset County.