How hard is the water in New Brunswick, NJ?

Tap water hardness
66mg/L
3.9gpg
Moderately hardCounty estimate

County estimate from 530 water samples in Middlesex County · July 2026

NJ typical
80 mg/L
Softener for 3 people
24k grain
Data
County estimate

Water samples from around New Brunswick put hardness at about 66 mg/L (3.9 gpg), which would be moderately hard on the USGS scale. Treat this as a rough guide: it is the median of 530 samples taken across Middlesex County, mostly wells and streams, not a test of New Brunswick's treated tap water.

New Brunswick on the hardness scale, with nearby cities
060120180240300360+NJ typical 80Highland Park: 63 mg/LHighland Park 63Milltown: 66 mg/LMilltown 66Sayreville: 66 mg/LSayreville 66Rutgers University-Busch Campus: 100 mg/LRutgers University-Busch Campus 100South Plainfield: 102 mg/LSouth Plainfield 102Metuchen: 108 mg/LMetuchen 108Franklin Center: 111 mg/LFranklin Center 111Somerset: 169 mg/LSomerset 169East Franklin: 235 mg/LEast Franklin 235Franklin Park: 235 mg/LFranklin Park 235New Brunswick 66mg/L as calcium carbonate060120180240300360+NJ 80Highland Park: 63 mg/LHighland P. 63Milltown: 66 mg/LMilltown 66Rutgers University-Busch Campus: 100 mg/LRutgers Un. 100Metuchen: 108 mg/LMetuchen 108Somerset: 169 mg/LSomerset 169East Franklin: 235 mg/LEast Frank. 23566 mg/Lmg/L as calcium carbonate
Soft 0–60 mg/LModerately hard 61–120 mg/LHard 121–180 mg/LVery hard 181+ mg/L

New Brunswick sits 14 mg/L below the typical New Jersey figure of 80. Of the 10 nearest cities we track, 1 has softer water and 7 have harder. The range nearby runs from 63 mg/L in Highland Park to 235 in East Franklin.

What 66 mg/L means at home

You may see faint white spots on glasses and shower doors after the water dries.

Scale builds up slowly. A kettle or coffee maker needs descaling now and then, maybe every few months.

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

Optional. Plenty of households at this level live with it and descale the kettle now and then.

Water softener

Worth a look if spots on glass bother you, or if your tankless water heater manual asks for softer water.

Carbon filter

Improves taste and removes chlorine. It leaves calcium and magnesium in place.

Softener size for New Brunswick

3 people × 75 gallons a day × 3.9 gpg = 873 grains a day. A 24,000-grain unit regenerates about every 27 days.

Size it for your household

EPA record for New Brunswick's water system

We could not match New Brunswick to a community water system in EPA's records. Your water bill or the yearly Consumer Confidence Report names the system and its ID.

Questions

Is New Brunswick water hard?

Somewhat. It measures about 66 mg/L (3.9 grains per gallon), which the USGS classes as moderately hard.

What is the water hardness in New Brunswick in grains per gallon?

About 3.9 gpg. One grain per gallon equals 17.1 mg/L, so 66 mg/L divided by 17.1 gives 3.9.

What size water softener do I need in New Brunswick?

For 3 people using 75 gallons each per day, 3.9 gpg works out to about 873 grains a day. A 24,000-grain softener covers that with a regeneration about every 27 days.

Nearby cities

All 227 cities in New Jersey

Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (county estimate, July 4, 2026), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.