Webster, MA water hardness

Tap water hardness
60mg/L
3.5gpg
SoftReports range 42–60

Calculated from the utility's calcium and magnesium results · June 2022

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

Webster water measures 60 mg/L (3.5 gpg) of hardness, soft by USGS standards. TapWaterData worked it out from the calcium and magnesium levels the local utility reports (June 2022). Reports for this system disagree, with values from 42 to 60 mg/L.

Webster on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+MA typical 38Southbridge: 7 mg/LSouthbridge 7Clinton: 14 mg/LClinton 14Whitinsville: 28 mg/LWhitinsville 28Milford: 37 mg/LMilford 37Worcester: 42 mg/LWorcester 42Palmer: 45 mg/LPalmer 45Oxford: 61 mg/LOxford 61Marlborough: 67 mg/LMarlborough 67Franklin: 69 mg/LFranklin 69Northborough: 110 mg/LNorthborough 110Webster 60mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+MA 38Southbridge: 7 mg/LSouthbridge 7Whitinsville: 28 mg/LWhitinsvil. 28Milford: 37 mg/LMilford 37Worcester: 42 mg/LWorcester 42Oxford: 61 mg/LOxford 61Northborough: 110 mg/LNorthborou. 11060 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

Webster sits 22 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 7 mg/L in Southbridge to 110 in Northborough.

What 60 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 60 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 Webster's water system

Webster Water Department · PWSID MA2316000

No health-based violations since 2016

Serves about 17,776 people from groundwater.

Health-based
0
Monitoring or reporting
2
Open now
0

EPA lists this system as serving Webster.

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 Webster water hard?

No. It measures about 60 mg/L (3.5 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as soft.

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

About 3.5 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 60 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 3.5.

Has the Webster water system had EPA violations?

EPA records show no health-based violations for Webster Water Department since 2016. There were also 2 monitoring or reporting violations, 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, June 21, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.