Oakton Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
8.6 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
8
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.006 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
320 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.39
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 Oakton, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Oakton | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -45% |
| Washing Machine | 8.2 yrs | 12 yrs | -32% |
| Water Heater | 9.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -35% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Oakton compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Oakton, Virginia | 147 mg/L | 7.6 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Fairfax, Virginia | 105 mg/L | 5.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Vienna, Virginia | 85.5 mg/L | 4.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Wolf Trap, Virginia | 114.5 mg/L | 5.8 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Kings Park West, Virginia | 119.5 mg/L | 6.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Oakton compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Oakton | 147 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Oakton's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Oakton, Virginia, an unincorporated community in Fairfax County — a major north Fairfax County community (Oakton is a significant affluent unincorporated Fairfax County community in the I-66 northern Virginia corridor — one of the highest-income communities in the greater Washington DC area), adjacent to Vienna and Reston in the north Fairfax County technology and federal government corridor (the Oakton–Vienna area is one of the primary residential addresses for US federal intelligence community officials, defense contractors, and technology executives in northern Virginia), home of one of the most highly rated school districts in Virginia (Oakton is served by Fairfax County Public Schools — consistently one of the top-ranked large public school systems in the United States), and a diverse Fairfax County community with a significant Korean-American, Indian-American, and Chinese-American professional population — draws its municipal water supply via Fairfax Water. Water hardness in Oakton measures 147 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Oakton's moderate hardness reflects Fairfax Water's Occoquan Reservoir supply and the north Fairfax County distribution characteristics. The Occoquan Reservoir (Bull Run watershed) drains the Northern Virginia Piedmont (Precambrian–Paleozoic calcareous-moderate Bull Run Mountains and Fairfax County gneiss). Fairfax Water distributes to the Oakton north Fairfax zone (primarily 1960s–1980s suburban development mains), producing the moderate 147 mg/L.
At 147 mg/L, Oakton residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning with citric acid solution is recommended. Fairfax Water consistently delivers water meeting all Virginia DEQ and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: River supply from the Occoquan Reservoir (Bull Run watershed) via the Fairfax Water — the Fairfax County north Virginia DC suburban Oakton corridor (Precambrian–Paleozoic calcareous-moderate Virginia Piedmont gneiss — the north Fairfax County crystalline Piedmont; Fairfax Water north distribution to Oakton Fairfax zone); moderately hard supply at 147 mg/L in Fairfax County.