Clinton, MA water hardness

Tap water hardness
14mg/L
0.8gpg
Soft

Reported by Clinton Water Dept · June 2022

MA typical
38 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
1
Data
Utility report

Tap water in Clinton has about 14 mg/L of hardness, which is 0.8 grains per gallon. On the USGS scale that counts as soft. The number comes from Clinton Water Dept, dated June 2022.

Clinton on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+MA typical 38Leominster: 10 mg/LLeominster 10Fitchburg: 41 mg/LFitchburg 41Gardner: 41 mg/LGardner 41Worcester: 42 mg/LWorcester 42Framingham: 52 mg/LFramingham 52West Concord: 57 mg/LWest Concord 57Marlborough: 67 mg/LMarlborough 67Maynard: 86 mg/LMaynard 86Cochituate: 93 mg/LCochituate 93Northborough: 110 mg/LNorthborough 110Clinton 14mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+MA 38Leominster: 10 mg/LLeominster 10Fitchburg: 41 mg/LFitchburg 41Worcester: 42 mg/LWorcester 42Marlborough: 67 mg/LMarlborough 67Maynard: 86 mg/LMaynard 86Northborough: 110 mg/LNorthborou. 11014 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

At 14 mg/L, Clinton is 24 mg/L below the typical Massachusetts figure of 38. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 1 has softer water and 9 have harder. The range nearby runs from 10 mg/L in Leominster to 110 in Northborough.

What 14 mg/L means at home

Soap and shampoo lather with very little product. Kettles and showerheads stay mostly free of white crust.

Some people notice that soap feels slow to rinse off in soft water. That slippery feel is normal and harmless.

Hardness is not a health problem, and EPA sets no limit for it. It is a matter of scale and soap.

What to do about it

Nothing, as far as hardness goes. At 14 mg/L a softener would have almost nothing to remove.

Carbon filter

If the water tastes of chlorine, a pitcher or faucet carbon filter takes care of that. It does not change hardness.

EPA record for Clinton's water system

Clinton Water Dept · PWSID MA2064000

1 health-based violation since 2016

Serves about 15,428 people from surface water.

Health-based
1
Monitoring or reporting
1
Open now
0
20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)'16'18'20'22'24'26Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)
Each dot is one health-based violation, placed at the start of its compliance period.
Contaminant or ruleViolationsPeriodStatus
Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)a disinfection byproduct12024Resolved

Health-based means a contaminant above its legal limit or a missed treatment step. Monitoring and reporting violations are late or missing tests and notices. Source: EPA ECHO, 2026Q3 export, violations with periods starting 2016 or later. Full EPA record.

Questions

Is Clinton water hard?

No. It measures about 14 mg/L (0.8 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as soft.

What is the water hardness in Clinton in grains per gallon?

About 0.8 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 14 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 0.8.

Has the Clinton water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Clinton Water Dept since 2016, involving Total trihalomethanes (TTHM). There were also 1 monitoring or reporting violation, which are about late or missing tests and notices.

Nearby cities

All 104 cities in Massachusetts

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (utility report, June 14, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.