Fresh Meadows Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
8.6 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
8
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.007 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
352.2 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.39
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 Fresh Meadows, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Fresh Meadows | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -45% |
| Washing Machine | 8.1 yrs | 12 yrs | -33% |
| Water Heater | 9.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -35% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Fresh Meadows compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Fresh Meadows, New York | 148 mg/L | 7.1 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Terrace Heights, New York | 123.5 mg/L | 6 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Hillside, New York | 159 mg/L | 7.6 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Kew Gardens Hills, New York | 93.5 mg/L | 4.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Briarwood, New York | 132.5 mg/L | 6.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Fresh Meadows compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Fresh Meadows | 148 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Fresh Meadows's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Fresh Meadows, Queens, New York — a major northeast Queens residential community (Fresh Meadows is a significant Queens neighborhood — a northeast Queens community adjacent to Flushing and Jamaica Estates; Fresh Meadows is centered on the Fresh Meadows development (a large planned residential community built by the New York Life Insurance Company in 1946–1949 on the site of the former Fresh Meadows Country Club — one of the most significant post-WWII planned residential communities in New York City; the Fresh Meadows community was designed as a middle-class suburban enclave within Queens with its own shopping center, park, and institutional facilities)), a diverse Queens County community with a significant Jewish-American (Fresh Meadows has historically been one of the most predominantly Jewish-American communities in Queens), Chinese-American, Korean-American, and South Asian-American population (Queens is the most ethnically diverse urban county in the United States), adjacent to Jamaica Hills and Hillcrest in the northeast Queens corridor, and one of the more tranquil and residential neighborhoods in the densely urban Queens borough — draws its municipal water supply via the NYC DEP. Water hardness in Fresh Meadows measures 148 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Fresh Meadows's moderate hardness reflects the northeast Queens NYC DEP distribution characteristics. The NYC DEP distributes Catskill–Delaware supply to northeast Queens with existing distribution, producing the moderate 148 mg/L.
At 148 mg/L, Fresh Meadows residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning is recommended. NYC DEP consistently delivers water meeting all New York State DEC and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the Catskill–Delaware watershed via the New York City DEP — the Queens County northeast Queens Fresh Meadows corridor (Catskill Mountains calcareous-poor Devonian sandstone — NYC Catskill–Delaware supply; northeast Queens distribution to Fresh Meadows zone); moderately hard supply at 148 mg/L in Queens County.