Mill Creek Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
2.3 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.3
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.004 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
76.4 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.10
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 Mill Creek, your appliances are currently losing 5% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Mill Creek | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 8.3 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -2% |
| Washing Machine | 12.2 yrs | 12 yrs | — |
| Water Heater | 14 yrs | 15 yrs | -7% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Mill Creek compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Mill Creek, Washington | 39 mg/L | 2.1 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Mill Creek East, Washington | 36.5 mg/L | 2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Martha Lake, Washington | 13.5 mg/L | 1.3 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Eastmont, Washington | 36.5 mg/L | 2 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| North Creek, Washington | 79 mg/L | 3.3 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Mill Creek compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Mill Creek | 39 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Mill Creek's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Mill Creek, Washington, in Snohomish County — a planned community city in southern Snohomish County adjacent to Bothell and Everett, one of the more affluent and well-planned suburban communities in the Puget Sound north metro corridor — receives its municipal water from the Alderwood Water and Wastewater District or Snohomish County PUD, which draws from Spada Lake (Sultan River Cascade watershed) and distributes through the south Snohomish County network.
The very soft 39 mg/L hardness and very low TDS of 76.4 mg/L are consistent with the south Snohomish County-north King County Cascade watershed supply character. The Sultan River at Spada Lake drains the Glacier Peak Wilderness corridor of the Western Cascades — dominated by Miocene-Oligocene volcanic basalt, andesite, and dacite that produce extremely soft, low-mineral runoff. Mill Creek and Eastmont (batch 129) share the same PUD supply infrastructure, producing nearly identical very soft water quality.
At 39 mg/L, Mill Creek's water is very soft — excellent for household use. Scale essentially never forms, soap lathers abundantly, and appliances maintain maximum efficiency. Annual descaling is more than sufficient. The PFAS level of 2.1 ppt is excellent — reflecting the Sultan-Spada Lake watershed's pristine Cascade character, the limited direct military-industrial PFAS sources in the upper watershed, and Snohomish County PUD's effective source water protection.
Geology & Source: Mill Creek in Snohomish County draws from the Alderwood Water and Wastewater District or Snohomish County PUD treating Spada Lake (Sultan River, western Cascades) — the Sultan River watershed drains Tertiary basalt and andesite of the Western Cascades — Cascades volcanic basalt watershed drainage produces very soft water at 39 mg/L with very low TDS 76 mg/L in this Snohomish County Washington city.