Babylon Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
8.5 grains per gallon
Source
groundwater
pH Level
6.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.007 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
31600 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.39
energy & soap waste
Source: See methodology section below · 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 Babylon, your appliances are currently losing 19% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Babylon | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.9 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -19% |
| Washing Machine | 9.7 yrs | 12 yrs | -19% |
| Water Heater | 12.2 yrs | 15 yrs | -19% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Babylon compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Babylon, New York | 145.5 mg/L | 7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | groundwater |
| North Babylon, New York | ≈ 0–60 mg/L | 8.3 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| West Islip, New York | ≈ 0–60 mg/L | 7.2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | groundwater |
| West Babylon, New York | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Lindenhurst, New York | 33.5 mg/L | 4.5 ppt | 🟢 Soft | groundwater |
National Benchmark
How Babylon compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Babylon | 145.5 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 151 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Scarsdale Top Rated | 0.02 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Babylon's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Babylon, New York, in Suffolk County — a Suffolk County village adjacent to Bay Shore and West Islip on the south shore of Long Island — receives its water from the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA), drawing from the Upper Glacial, Magothy, and Lloyd aquifer system beneath Long Island through the south Long Island distribution.
The hard 145.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 341.4 mg/L are somewhat unexpected for a Long Island community — Long Island aquifer water is typically softer, but south shore Suffolk County communities near the coast can experience higher TDS from brackish intrusion and legacy contamination (compare Levittown NY: 80/155 in Nassau County softer inland; Islip NY: 140/320 in Suffolk County comparable; Babylon slightly harder TDS from the south shore Suffolk County coastal aquifer position). The Long Island aquifer at Suffolk County — Pleistocene Magothy Aquifer (insoluble — primary contributor), Cretaceous Lloyd Aquifer (insoluble — secondary contributor), and Holocene coastal deposits (slightly calcareous — TDS contributor).
At 145.5 mg/L with TDS 341, Babylon's water is hard — scale builds in appliances and fixtures over months. Quarterly descaling is appropriate. The PFAS level of 7.0 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — Suffolk County Long Island has widespread PFAS contamination from industrial facilities, dry cleaners, and defense contractors. Use a reverse osmosis or certified carbon block filter for drinking water.
Geology & Source: Babylon in Suffolk County draws from the Suffolk County Water Authority on the Long Island aquifer (Suffolk County, south Long Island, New York) — the Long Island aquifer at Suffolk County is developed in Pleistocene Magothy Aquifer (insoluble) and Cretaceous Lloyd Aquifer (insoluble) — New York Suffolk County Long Island Magothy Pleistocene aquifer produces hard water at 145.5 mg/L with TDS 341.4 mg/L.
Other New York Water Reports
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Frequently Asked Questions
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How does Babylon compare to the USA average?
Data Sources & Methodology
Water quality data for Babylon is derived from geographic and geological modelling of the surrounding region. No federal monitoring station data was available for this location.
Water Hardness
Modelled estimate based on state-level USGS geological survey data for this region. No direct USGS Water Quality Portal measurement was matched to this city — the value reflects a statistical range calibrated to the state's dominant rock types and typical source water characteristics.
pH
Estimated from regional geology and source water characteristics. pH is correlated with water hardness and local bedrock — values may differ from utility-reported figures.
TDS — Total Dissolved Solids
Estimated using a derived ratio from water hardness and regional conductance profiles. TDS in natural water correlates strongly with total mineral content including hardness ions.
PFAS — Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
EPA UCMR5 (5th Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 2023–2025) — sum of PFAS compounds detected at the public water system serving this city. A value of 0 indicates the system was sampled with no detection above reporting limits.
Lead
Modelled estimate based on the EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile tap-sample methodology. No publicly available per-city lead dataset with sufficient national coverage exists. Values are a conservative baseline derived from city population tier and infrastructure age — all estimates are maintained below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
Appliance Lifespan
Calculated from water hardness using a linear degradation model. Baseline lifespans represent soft-water performance (kettle: 8.5 yrs, washing machine: 12.0 yrs, water heater: 15.0 yrs). Hard water mineral scale progressively reduces operational life in direct proportion to hardness concentration.