Colchester Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
1.1 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.1
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.002 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
31.2 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.05
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 Colchester, your appliances are currently losing 3% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Colchester | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 9 yrs | 8.5 yrs | — |
| Washing Machine | 12.9 yrs | 12 yrs | — |
| Water Heater | 14.8 yrs | 15 yrs | -1% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Colchester compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Colchester, Vermont | 19.5 mg/L | 1.8 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| South Burlington, Vermont | 55.5 mg/L | 2.9 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Burlington, Vermont | 85 mg/L | 3.7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Plattsburgh, New York | 68 mg/L | 3.4 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Rutland, Vermont | 30.5 mg/L | 2.1 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Colchester compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Colchester | 19.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
Bring Badger-quality water to your Colchester home
Shop water softeners on Amazon.com →
What Makes Colchester's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Colchester, Vermont, in Chittenden County — a Chittenden County town adjacent to Burlington and Winooski on Lake Champlain in the Champlain Valley — receives its municipal water from the Champlain Water District (CWD), drawing from Lake Champlain (Chittenden County) through the CWD water filtration plant on the Champlain lakeshore.
The extremely soft 19.5 mg/L hardness and very low TDS of 31.2 mg/L are among the softest water supply readings in the entire USA dataset. Lake Champlain collects drainage from the Vermont Green Mountains — Precambrian Grenville-aged gneiss and granulite (insoluble crystalline — dominant on the Vermont side), Cambrian Dunham Dolomite (minor carbonate contribution), and Ordovician Iberville Shale (insoluble). The overwhelmingly insoluble Green Mountain Precambrian crystalline drainage produces one of the softest lake supplies in the eastern US.
At 19.5 mg/L, Colchester's water is extremely soft — no scale forms whatsoever, soap lathers abundantly, and all appliances operate at maximum efficiency. No descaling is necessary. The PFAS level of 1.8 ppt is among the lowest in the dataset — the Chittenden County rural Vermont setting, limited industrial PFAS sources in the Champlain Valley, and the clean Lake Champlain watershed (primarily agricultural and forest land) produce Colchester's exceptionally clean water profile.
Geology & Source: Colchester in Chittenden County draws from the Champlain Water District on Lake Champlain (Chittenden County, Vermont) — Lake Champlain drains the Vermont Green Mountains (Precambrian Grenville gneiss, Cambrian Dunham dolomite — crystalline dominant) — Vermont Chittenden County Lake Champlain Precambrian crystalline watershed produces extremely soft water at 19.5 mg/L with TDS 31.2 mg/L in this Chittenden County Vermont town.