Burlington Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The City of Burlington Water Resources Department serves approximately 55,000 residents across Alamance County, primarily within Burlington city limits and surrounding areas. Water is sourced from the Haw River via the City Lake treatment facility, supplemented by groundwater wells. The utility operates the Burlington Water Treatment Plant, processing raw water through coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to meet all state and federal drinking water standards.

The Haw River watershed is part of the larger Cape Fear River Basin, spanning the Piedmont physiographic province underlain by Triassic sedimentary bedrock of the Deep River Group. These red beds and volcanics yield moderately mineralised surface water, while groundwater accesses shallow unconfined aquifers in Quaternary sediments and fractured bedrock. The absence of significant carbonate rocks limits calcium and magnesium dissolution, producing a soft water supply with low cation concentrations and minimal limestone buffering; some silica and sulfate may occur from igneous-metasedimentary weathering.

As a soft water supply at 23.4 mg/L, Burlington residents experience minimal scale buildup in pipes, heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, and water heaters, reducing maintenance requirements. Soap lathers efficiently without excess detergent, and glassware dries spot-free. A water softener is not recommended and could introduce unnecessary sodium; instead, focus on routine filter cleaning and occasional descaling of any minor deposits from blended sources. The 2025 Consumer Confidence Report confirms lead below 3 ppb, copper averaging 0.083 ppm, turbidity below 0.3 NTU, sulfate at 26–28 mg/L, and alkalinity around 30 mg/L as CaCO3 — all within EPA compliance, with no PFAS violations noted.