Ithaca Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
6.6 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.005 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
230.3 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.30
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 Ithaca, your appliances are currently losing 15% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Ithaca | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 5.9 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -31% |
| Washing Machine | 9.4 yrs | 12 yrs | -22% |
| Water Heater | 11.1 yrs | 15 yrs | -26% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Ithaca compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Ithaca, New York | 113 mg/L | 5.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Cortland, New York | 73 mg/L | 3.7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Elmira, New York | 78 mg/L | 4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Auburn, New York | 137.5 mg/L | 6.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Endicott, New York | 83.5 mg/L | 4.2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Ithaca compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Ithaca | 113 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Ithaca's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Ithaca, New York, the Tompkins County seat — a major central New York Finger Lakes university city (Ithaca is the Tompkins County seat and one of the most celebrated university cities in the United States — home of Cornell University (one of the most distinguished Ivy League research universities in the country — a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant university particularly known for engineering, hotel administration, agriculture, veterinary medicine, and law) and Ithaca College (a significant private university known for communications, music, and health sciences)); famous for its gorges (Ithaca is famous for its spectacular natural waterfalls and gorges — Taughannock Falls (with a 215-foot plunge, taller than Niagara Falls), Buttermilk Falls, and the Cornell campus gorges make Ithaca one of the most geologically distinctive university cities in the United States; the local motto 'Ithaca is Gorges' is a beloved pun)), a diverse Tompkins County community with a significant international student and academic population — draws its municipal water supply from the Six Mile Creek watershed. Water hardness in Ithaca measures 113 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Ithaca's moderate hardness reflects the Tompkins County Finger Lakes watershed's calcareous-moderate Devonian geology. The Six Mile Creek watershed drains the Devonian Genesee and Hamilton Group shale (calcareous-moderate). City of Ithaca treatment produces the moderate 113 mg/L.
At 113 mg/L, Ithaca residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning is recommended. City of Ithaca Water Treatment Plant consistently delivers water meeting all New York State DEC and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Surface supply from the Six Mile Creek watershed (Sixmile Creek Reservoir) via the City of Ithaca Water Treatment Plant — the Tompkins County central New York Finger Lakes Ithaca corridor (Devonian calcareous-moderate Genesee Group and Hamilton Group shale — the calcareous-moderate central New York Finger Lakes gorge watershed; effective treatment); moderately hard supply at 113 mg/L in Tompkins County.