Little Falls Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
10.5 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
8.3
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.009 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
477 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.48
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 Little Falls, your appliances are currently losing 24% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Little Falls | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 3.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -56% |
| Washing Machine | 7 yrs | 12 yrs | -42% |
| Water Heater | 8.4 yrs | 15 yrs | -44% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Little Falls compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Little Falls, New Jersey | 179.5 mg/L | 13 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Upper Montclair, New Jersey | 180.5 mg/L | 13.1 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | reservoir |
| Woodland Park, New Jersey | 64.5 mg/L | 6.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Cedar Grove, New Jersey | 87 mg/L | 7.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Totowa, New Jersey | 165 mg/L | 12.2 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Little Falls compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Little Falls | 179.5 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Little Falls's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Little Falls, New Jersey, in Passaic County — a Passaic County township adjacent to Clifton and Totowa on the Passaic River in northeast New Jersey — receives its water from the Passaic Valley Water Commission, drawing from the Passaic River through the northeast New Jersey distribution.
The hard 179.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 477 mg/L reflect the Passaic County supply's hard Triassic character — the Triassic Brunswick Formation is a calcareous red mudstone in the New Jersey Triassic Lowland, while the Precambrian Ramapo Mountains Gneiss provides insoluble dilution from the headwaters; the Passaic Valley supply concentrates dissolved minerals from the extensive Triassic basin drainage (compare Clifton NJ: 175/465 in Passaic County comparable; Totowa NJ: 183/489 in Passaic County comparable; Little Falls consistent hard from the same Passaic County Passaic River Triassic calcareous supply). The Passaic River — Triassic Brunswick Formation (calcareous — primary hardness contributor), Precambrian Ramapo Mountains Gneiss (insoluble — primary dilutant), and Quaternary Passaic River alluvium (calcareous — TDS contributor).
At 179.5 mg/L with TDS 477, Little Falls' water is hard — scale builds in appliances. Quarterly descaling is appropriate. The PFAS level of 13.0 ppt is very high — a certified filter with PFAS removal is strongly recommended. Review Passaic Valley Water Commission's annual water quality report.
Geology & Source: Little Falls in Passaic County draws from the Passaic Valley Water on the Passaic River supply (Passaic County, northeast New Jersey) — the Passaic River draws from Triassic Brunswick Formation (calcareous) and Precambrian Ramapo Mountains Gneiss (insoluble) — New Jersey Passaic County Passaic River Triassic calcareous supply produces hard water at 179.5 mg/L with TDS 477 mg/L.