Lodi Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
10.7 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
8.3
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.009 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
491.7 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.49
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 Lodi, your appliances are currently losing 24% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Lodi | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 3.6 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -58% |
| Washing Machine | 6.8 yrs | 12 yrs | -43% |
| Water Heater | 8.3 yrs | 15 yrs | -45% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Lodi compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Lodi, New Jersey | 183 mg/L | 13.2 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | reservoir |
| Saddle Brook, New Jersey | 59.5 mg/L | 6.3 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Garfield, New Jersey | 51.5 mg/L | 5.9 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Hackensack, New Jersey | 73 mg/L | 7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Elmwood Park, New Jersey | 160 mg/L | 11.9 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Lodi compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Lodi | 183 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Lodi home
Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →
What Makes Lodi's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Lodi, New Jersey, in Bergen County along the Saddle River in the densely populated northeastern New Jersey urban corridor, receives its municipal water from the Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC), which draws from the Passaic River via intakes in the lower Passaic Valley. PVWC treats Passaic River water at its Little Falls Water Treatment Plant before distribution throughout the heavily urbanized central-northern New Jersey corridor including Bergen and Passaic county communities. The Passaic River watershed drains over 900 square miles of northeastern New Jersey, including industrial, residential, and agricultural land from Morris County to Newark Bay.
The hard 183 mg/L hardness reflects the Passaic River watershed's mixed carbonate geology. The upper Passaic drains the Newark Basin — a Triassic rift valley filled with red sandstone, shale, and basalt flows — alongside the Precambrian Highlands to the northwest. The Wanaque River tributary, a major Passaic input, drains Ramapo Mountain crystalline terrain. Some carbonate contact occurs along the watershed's margins with Cambrian and Ordovician limestone, and treatment processes adjust alkalinity in ways that contribute to the finished water's hardness profile. The overall result is hard water at the tap throughout the Passaic Valley service area.
At 183 mg/L, Lodi residents deal with consistent hard water scaling. However, the dominant concern for Lodi is the extraordinary PFAS level of 13.2 ppt — one of the highest readings in this entire dataset, reflecting the Passaic Valley's severe industrial PFAS contamination legacy. The Passaic River has historically received discharges from electronics manufacturers, textile plants, and industrial facilities in Passaic and Bergen counties — many of which used PFAS-containing products. Residents are strongly urged to install a certified NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system for all drinking and cooking water and to consult New Jersey's PFAS health advisories and consumer notification updates.
Geology & Source: Lodi in Bergen County is served by Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC) drawing from the Passaic River — the Passaic River drains the Newark Basin through Triassic red sandstone and basalt (Watchung Ridges) with moderate carbonate contact — but elevated hardness at 183 mg/L and the highest PFAS in this batch (13.2 ppt) reflect decades of industrial contamination and carbonate-influenced supply management in the Passaic Valley corridor.