Tacony Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
~120–179 mg/L
Hardestimated · not lab-verified
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.8
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
263.3 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.40
energy & soap waste
Source: See methodology section below · 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 Tacony, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Tacony | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.8 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -20% |
| Washing Machine | 9.6 yrs | 12 yrs | -20% |
| Water Heater | 12 yrs | 15 yrs | -20% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Tacony compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Tacony, Pennsylvania | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 6.9 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Holmesburg, Pennsylvania | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 5.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Wissinoming, Pennsylvania | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 5.6 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Rhawnhurst, Pennsylvania | 174.5 mg/L | 8.9 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Oxford Circle, Pennsylvania | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 56.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Tacony compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Tacony | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 151 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Scarsdale Top Rated | 0.02 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Scarsdale-quality water to your Tacony home
Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →
What Makes Tacony's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) supplies Tacony, a neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, drawing water from the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers. Tacony is served primarily by the Queen Lane or Baxter Water Treatment Plants for Schuylkill River water, or the Torresdale Water Treatment Plant for Delaware River water from the tidal estuary upstream of Philadelphia. PWD serves all of Philadelphia County, treating surface water for over 2 million residents using coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, UV disinfection, and fluoridation.
The Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Creek Watershed feeds into the tidal Delaware River, which supplies Tacony's water after upstream diversion. The Piedmont region's metamorphic rocks, including gneiss and schist from Precambrian and Paleozoic eras, underlie the basin with limited limestone, yielding a moderately mineralised supply from gradual mineral dissolution. The Chickies Formation (Cambrian-Ordovician) and Glenarm Series (Precambrian) are limestone-poor, calcium-deficient formations contributing moderate hardness through feldspar weathering and minor carbonates, distinct from softer groundwater in carbonate-free areas.
Moderately hard water promotes limescale buildup in pipes, water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines, reducing efficiency and lifespan. Kettle scaling and soap scum in bathrooms are common. Regular vinegar descaling, low-flow fixtures, and magnetic descalers help; a water softener is recommended for households with frequent issues to extend appliance life and improve cleaning. PWD maintains pH around 7.5 for corrosion control, and the system complies with the Lead and Copper Rule with low action levels via orthophosphate treatment, with no specific PFAS exceedances reported in recent CCRs.
Geology & Source: Delaware River Basin Piedmont; Paleozoic schists, gneisses, quartzites — Cambrian-Ordovician Chickies Formation and Precambrian Glenarm Series; limestone-poor terrain yields moderate hardness from feldspar weathering and minor carbonates
Other Pennsylvania Water Reports
Report an Issue
Notice an error or missing data? Help us keep this page accurate. If you spot incorrect water hardness, outdated utility info, or missing details, please let us know.
All reports are reviewed by our team. Thank you for supporting data quality!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tacony's water safe to drink?
Do I need a water softener in Tacony?
How does Tacony compare to the USA average?
Data Sources & Methodology
Water quality data for Tacony is derived from geographic and geological modelling of the surrounding region. No federal monitoring station data was available for this location.
Water Hardness
Modelled estimate based on state-level USGS geological survey data for this region. No direct USGS Water Quality Portal measurement was matched to this city — the value reflects a statistical range calibrated to the state's dominant rock types and typical source water characteristics.
pH
Estimated from regional geology and source water characteristics. pH is correlated with water hardness and local bedrock — values may differ from utility-reported figures.
TDS — Total Dissolved Solids
Estimated using a derived ratio from water hardness and regional conductance profiles. TDS in natural water correlates strongly with total mineral content including hardness ions.
PFAS — Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
EPA UCMR5 (5th Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 2023–2025) — sum of PFAS compounds detected at the public water system serving this city. A value of 0 indicates the system was sampled with no detection above reporting limits.
Lead
Modelled estimate based on the EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile tap-sample methodology. No publicly available per-city lead dataset with sufficient national coverage exists. Values are a conservative baseline derived from city population tier and infrastructure age — all estimates are maintained below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
Appliance Lifespan
Calculated from water hardness using a linear degradation model. Baseline lifespans represent soft-water performance (kettle: 8.5 yrs, washing machine: 12.0 yrs, water heater: 15.0 yrs). Hard water mineral scale progressively reduces operational life in direct proportion to hardness concentration.