Ashland Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5.5 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.8
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.008 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
238.7 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.25
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 Ashland, your appliances are currently losing 13% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Ashland | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -24% |
| Washing Machine | 10.1 yrs | 12 yrs | -16% |
| Water Heater | 11.8 yrs | 15 yrs | -21% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Ashland compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Ashland, Oregon | 94.5 mg/L | 2.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Medford, Oregon | 92 mg/L | 2.5 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Central Point, Oregon | 59 mg/L | 1.9 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Grants Pass, Oregon | 65 mg/L | 2.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Klamath Falls, Oregon | 104 mg/L | 2.7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Ashland compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Ashland | 94.5 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Ashland's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Ashland, Oregon, in Jackson County — the historic southern Oregon city in the Siskiyou Mountains foothills, world-famous for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) (one of the largest Shakespeare festivals in the English-speaking world), home of Southern Oregon University, and a liberal arts and wellness community at the California-Oregon border — receives its municipal water from the Ashland Water Department (AWD), which draws from Reeder Reservoir on Emigrant Creek (a Bear Creek tributary in the Siskiyou Mountains) through the Ashland mountain watershed supply.
The moderately soft 94.5 mg/L hardness and TDS of 238.7 mg/L reflect the Klamath Mountains' unique ultramafic geological character. The Siskiyou Mountains and Klamath Mountains that form Ashland's water supply watershed are among the most geologically ancient and diverse in North America — underlain by a complex mosaic of Paleozoic and Mesozoic accreted oceanic terrane, including ultramafic rocks (peridotite, serpentinite — Josephine Ophiolite, Pearsoll Peak Complex), metavolcanic basalt and andesite, and Triassic-Jurassic marine metasedimentary rocks. The serpentinite ultramafic terrain contributes moderate dissolved calcium and magnesium silicate weathering products (magnesium-bicarbonate chemistry is typical of serpentinite terrains), producing moderately soft to moderately hard water in Klamath Mountain headwater streams. Ashland's Reeder Reservoir reflects this Klamath Mountain watershed character.
At 94.5 mg/L, Ashland's water is moderately soft — comfortable for household use. Scale forms slowly over many months, soap lathers well, and appliances operate efficiently. Semi-annual descaling is adequate. The PFAS level of 2.6 ppt is excellent — among the lowest in Oregon, reflecting Ashland's pristine Siskiyou Mountain watershed, the city's liberal green identity (Ashland has been progressive about water quality), and the Jackson County corridor's limited direct military-industrial PFAS sources.
Geology & Source: Ashland in Jackson County draws from the Ashland Water Department on Reeder Reservoir (Emigrant Creek system, Bear Creek) — the Bear Creek and Emigrant Creek watersheds drain the Klamath Mountains (Paleozoic-Mesozoic accreted terrane — serpentinite, peridotite, and metavolcanic terrain) — Klamath Mountains ultramafic and metavolcanic watershed drainage produces moderately soft water at 94.5 mg/L with TDS 239 mg/L in this Jackson County Oregon city.