Burlington Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Burlington Water Resources, operated by the Burlington Public Works Water Division, serves the Burlington, Vermont community, drawing its supply entirely from Lake Champlain, a major freshwater reservoir straddling the Vermont–New York border. Water is pumped from Lake Champlain to the Burlington Water Treatment Plant, where it is purified and distributed throughout the service area in Chittenden County. The utility participates in the EPA's Partnership for Safe Water program to maintain high treatment standards and protect the community water supply from source to tap.

The Lake Champlain watershed is situated between the Green Mountains to the east and the Adirondacks to the west, with geology dominated by Precambrian and Paleozoic metamorphic rocks in the surrounding highlands and Ordovician–Silurian carbonate and shale formations underlying the lake basin. Glacial deposits and carbonate bedrock dissolution contribute to the moderately mineralised character of the supply. The lake's water chemistry reflects both natural geological influences and anthropogenic inputs, including road salt from winter maintenance activities.

Burlington's moderately soft supply at 64 mg/L creates mild scale buildup in household appliances, particularly water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines, with some soap scum accumulation over time. A water softener is sometimes recommended, though many residents manage through periodic descaling and maintenance. The 2023 Consumer Confidence Report documents calcium at 18 ppm, chloride at 250 ppm (primarily from winter road salt), and sodium at 12 ppm. The utility addresses lead and copper through corrosion control; the EPA recommends flushing faucets for 60 seconds to clear any stagnant water from household plumbing.