North Tonawanda Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

North Tonawanda, New York, in Niagara County — a major north Buffalo suburban city (North Tonawanda is a significant Niagara County city at the Erie Canal–Niagara River junction — historically one of the most important lumber processing and manufacturing cities in western New York; the city's location at the terminus of the Erie Canal (where the Tonawanda Creek joins the Niagara River) made it a major center of 19th century lumber trade), home of the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum (one of the most significant amusement manufacturing history museums in the United States — the Herschell factory produced thousands of carousels and amusement rides that traveled worldwide; the museum is in the original factory building), a diverse Niagara County community with a significant Polish-American, Italian-American, and working-class manufacturing heritage, adjacent to the Erie Canal Tonawanda section and the Grand Island area, and a city with a rich industrial and waterway heritage — draws its municipal water supply from the Niagara River via the North Tonawanda Water Department. Water hardness in North Tonawanda measures 69.5 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.

North Tonawanda's moderate softness — much softer than typical Niagara River values — reflects effective treatment of the Niagara River supply. The Niagara River carries dissolved carbonates from the Silurian Lockport Dolomite and Devonian Onondaga Limestone of western New York. North Tonawanda Water Department applies effective treatment, producing the moderately soft 69.5 mg/L.

With hardness at 69.5 mg/L, North Tonawanda residents enjoy moderately soft water. North Tonawanda Water Department consistently delivers water meeting all New York State DEC and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.