Reading, MA water hardness

Tap water hardness
22mg/L
1.3gpg
Soft

Reported by Reading Water Department (MWRA) · September 2025

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

Tap water in Reading has about 22 mg/L of hardness, which is 1.3 grains per gallon. On the USGS scale that counts as soft. The number comes from Reading Water Department (MWRA), dated September 2025.

Reading on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+MA typical 38Saugus: 10 mg/LSaugus 10Stoneham: 16 mg/LStoneham 16Melrose: 18 mg/LMelrose 18Winchester: 20 mg/LWinchester 20Wakefield: 51 mg/LWakefield 51Pinehurst: 62 mg/LPinehurst 62Wilmington: 68 mg/LWilmington 68Lynnfield: 72 mg/LLynnfield 72Woburn: 99 mg/LWoburn 99Burlington: 104 mg/LBurlington 104Reading 22mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+MA 38Stoneham: 16 mg/LStoneham 16Wakefield: 51 mg/LWakefield 51Wilmington: 68 mg/LWilmington 68Lynnfield: 72 mg/LLynnfield 72Woburn: 99 mg/LWoburn 99Burlington: 104 mg/LBurlington 10422 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

Reading sits 16 mg/L below the typical Massachusetts figure of 38. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 4 have softer water and 6 have harder. The range nearby runs from 10 mg/L in Saugus to 104 in Burlington.

What 22 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 22 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 Reading's water system

Reading Water Department (MWRA) · PWSID MA3246000

1 health-based violation since 2016

Serves about 26,262 people from surface water.

Health-based
1
Monitoring or reporting
1
Open now
0
20162017201820192020202120222023202420252026Total Coliform Rule'16'18'20'22'24'26Total Coliform Rule
Each dot is one health-based violation, placed at the start of its compliance period.
Contaminant or ruleViolationsPeriodStatus
Total Coliform Rulebacteria12019Resolved

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 Reading water hard?

No. It measures about 22 mg/L (1.3 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as soft.

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

About 1.3 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 22 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 1.3.

Has the Reading water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show 1 health-based violation for Reading Water Department (MWRA) since 2016, involving Total Coliform Rule. 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, September 9, 2025), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.