Water Hardness in New York Cities

Water Hardness in New York Cities

Water hardness, which primarily refers to the concentration of dissolved substances such as calcium and magnesium, can exhibit notable variation across New York. Located in the northeastern region of the U.S., New York often portrays diverse water hardness levels, unlike regions such as the Midwest that are known to have higher hardness levels.

Specifically looking at New York, the hardness measurements collected from various towns and cities suggest a trend towards low to moderate hardness levels, compared to the national average. Consequently, New York’s water is mostly classified under the ‘soft to moderately hard’ bracket. This trait has important implications for the taste of the water and the effectiveness of cleaning agents like soaps and detergents. It should be highlighted that these hardness levels are subject to changes and can fluctuate depending on local geological conditions and variations in water sources.

The cities outlined in this dataset showcase a broad spectrum of hardness levels in their water supplies, as measured in Parts Per Million (ppm) and Grains Per Gallon (gpg). Cities like Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse are witness to high hardness levels, going beyond 90 ppm (5.26 gpg). On the flip side, the hardness level in cities like New Rochelle, Freeport, and Dobbs Ferry is comparatively lower, beneath 36 ppm (2.10 gpg). Meanwhile, many cities, including Yonkers, Schenectady, and Utica, have not submitted any data pertaining to the hardness of their water sources.

City Hardness ppm (mg/L) Hardness gpg Information Source Notes
New York 24.0 1.4 Link
Buffalo 99.2 5.8 Link
Rochester 283.0 17.0 Link
Yonkers n/a n/a Link Alkalinity Only
Syracuse 128.0 7.5 Link
Albany 53.0 3.1 Link
New Rochelle 6.0 0.4 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Mount Vernon 6.9 0.4 Link Took average of listed range
Schenectady n/a n/a Link
Utica n/a n/a Link
White Plains n/a n/a Link
Hempstead 43.3 2.5 Link Took average of range
Troy 60.5 3.5 Link
Niagara Falls n/a n/a Link Alkalinity Only
Binghamton 50.0 2.9 Link
Freeport 4.3 0.2 Link
Valley Stream 67.3 3.9 Link Covered by Western Nassau Water Authority
Kiryas Joel n/a n/a Link Not covered by county, no CCR on website
Long Beach 34.7 2.0 Link
Spring Valley 159.0 9.3 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Rome n/a n/a Link
Poughkeepsie 72.7 4.3 Link
Ithaca 131.0 7.7 Link
Port Chester 35.0 2.0 Link
Middletown n/a n/a Link
North Tonawanda n/a n/a Link
Newburgh n/a n/a Link
Harrison n/a n/a Link Covered by Westchester Joint Waterworks
Jamestown n/a n/a Link
Saratoga Springs n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
Glen Cove 45.6 2.7 Link
Ossining n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
Lindenhurst 37.1 2.2 Link Covered by Suffolk County Water Authority Dist 1
Auburn 120.0 7.0 Link
Elmira n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
Rockville Centre 7.5 0.4 Link
Peekskill n/a n/a Link
Watertown n/a n/a Link
Kingston n/a n/a Link
Garden City 28.3 1.7 Link Avgerage of range
Mineola 23.0 1.3 Link Avgerage of range
Lockport n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
Lynbrook 15.3 0.9 Link
Plattsburgh n/a n/a Link
Mamaroneck n/a n/a Link Covered by Westchester Joint Waterworks
Lackawanna 99.2 5.8 Link Covered by Buffalo per EPA CCR lookup site
Amsterdam n/a n/a Link
Cohoes n/a n/a Link
Scarsdale n/a n/a Link
Cortland n/a n/a Link
Oswego n/a n/a Link
Massapequa Park 3.6 0.2 Link
Rye 35.0 2.0 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Floral Park 67.3 3.9 Link Covered by Western Nassau Water Authority
Westbury 33.5 2.0 Link Avgerage of range
Batavia 14.6 0.9 Link As Calcium
Johnson City n/a n/a Link
Kenmore 34.9 2.0 Link Covered by Tonawanda
Gloversville n/a n/a Link
Depew 99.2 5.8 Link Covered by Buffalo per EPA CCR lookup site
Tonawanda 34.9 2.0 Link As Calcium
Glens Falls n/a n/a Link
Olean n/a n/a Link
Beacon n/a n/a Link
Endicott n/a n/a Link
Dunkirk n/a n/a Link
Oneonta n/a n/a Link
Geneva n/a n/a Link
Patchogue 37.1 2.2 Link Covered by Suffolk County Water Authority Dist 1
Haverstraw 159.0 9.3 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Babylon 37.1 2.2 Link Covered by Suffolk County Water Authority Dist 1
Tarrytown 5.7 0.3 Link As Calcium
Woodbury n/a n/a Link
Dobbs Ferry 6.0 0.4 Link As calcium
Suffern 140.0 8.2 Link
Fulton n/a n/a Link
Great Neck 61.5 3.6 Link Took average of listed range
Lake Grove 69.8 4.1 Link Covered by Suffolk County Water Authority Dist 12
Sleepy Hollow n/a n/a Link
Mount Kisco n/a n/a Link
Corning n/a n/a Link
West Haverstraw 159.0 9.3 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Canandaigua n/a n/a Link Alkalinity only
Chestnut Ridge 159.0 9.3 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Oneida 14.0 0.8 Link
Watervliet n/a n/a Link
New Hyde Park 67.3 3.9 Link Covered by Western Nassau Water Authority
Massena n/a n/a Link
East Rockaway 21.3 1.2 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Airmont 159.0 9.3 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Ogdensburg n/a n/a Link
Lancaster 99.2 5.8 Link Covered by Buffalo per EPA CCR lookup site
Rye Brook 35.0 2.0 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Fredonia n/a n/a Link
Hamburg 99.2 5.8 Link Covered by Buffalo per EPA CCR lookup site
New Square 159.0 9.3 Link Via Zipcode lookup
Monroe n/a n/a Link
Amityville 37.1 2.2 Link Covered by Suffolk County Water Authority Dist 1
Rensselaer n/a n/a Link Doesn’t cover private wells
Newark n/a n/a Link
Top 100 New York cities by population and their reported water hardness
ppm = Parts Per Million
mg/L = Milligrams Per Liter
gpg = Grains Per Gallon

Hard water can cause issues such as mineral buildup in plumbing and appliances, reduce the efficacy of soaps and detergents, and affect the taste of the water. A tried and true solution is the use of a water softener. A water softener, like the ones from DROP, could be a worthwhile investment.

These devices work by replacing the calcium and magnesium ions that cause hardness with sodium ions, resulting in softer water. With innovative features, easy installation, and efficient operation, DROP smart water softeners provide a solution to hard water issues, extending the lifespan of appliances, improving water taste, enhancing soap effectiveness, reducing scale build-up, and increasing the overall water efficiency in your home.

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