Methuen, MA water hardness

Tap water hardness
49mg/L
2.9gpg
SoftReports range 49–63

Calculated from the utility's calcium and magnesium results · May 2025

MA typical
38 mg/L
EPA health violations since 2016
0
Data
Calculated from utility data

Tap water in Methuen has about 49 mg/L of hardness, which is 2.9 grains per gallon. On the USGS scale that counts as soft. TapWaterData worked it out from the calcium and magnesium levels the local utility reports (May 2025). Reports for this system disagree, with values from 49 to 63 mg/L.

Methuen on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+MA typical 38Reading: 22 mg/LReading 22Lawrence: 32 mg/LLawrence 32Andover: 38 mg/LAndover 38Haverhill: 40 mg/LHaverhill 40Amesbury: 40 mg/LAmesbury 40Lowell: 43 mg/LLowell 43Pinehurst: 62 mg/LPinehurst 62Wilmington: 68 mg/LWilmington 68Lynnfield: 72 mg/LLynnfield 72Newburyport: 100 mg/LNewburyport 100Methuen 49mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+MA 38Lawrence: 32 mg/LLawrence 32Andover: 38 mg/LAndover 38Haverhill: 40 mg/LHaverhill 40Amesbury: 40 mg/LAmesbury 40Lowell: 43 mg/LLowell 43Wilmington: 68 mg/LWilmington 6849 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 49 mg/L, Methuen is 11 mg/L above the typical Massachusetts figure of 38. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 6 have softer water and 4 have harder. The range nearby runs from 22 mg/L in Reading to 100 in Newburyport.

What 49 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 49 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 Methuen's water system

Methuen Water Dept · PWSID MA3181000

No health-based violations since 2016

Serves about 53,059 people from surface water.

Health-based
0
Monitoring or reporting
1
Open now
0

EPA lists this system as serving Methuen.

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 Methuen water hard?

No. It measures about 49 mg/L (2.9 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as soft.

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

About 2.9 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 49 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 2.9.

Has the Methuen water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show no health-based violations for Methuen Water Dept since 2016. 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 (calculated from utility data, May 19, 2025), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.