Barre, VT water hardness
Calculated from the utility's calcium and magnesium results · July 2022
- VT typical
- 62 mg/L
- EPA health violations since 2016
- 0
- Data
- Calculated from utility data
The water in Barre carries roughly 60 mg/L of dissolved calcium and magnesium, or 3.5 grains per gallon. That is soft water. TapWaterData worked it out from the calcium and magnesium levels the local utility reports (July 2022).
At 60 mg/L, Barre is close to the typical Vermont figure of 62 mg/L. None of the 4 nearest cities we track has softer water. The range nearby runs from 62 mg/L in Winooski to 101 in Montpelier.
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 Barre's water system
No health-based violations since 2016
Serves about 14,000 people from surface water.
- Health-based
- 0
- Monitoring or reporting
- 1
- Open now
- 0
EPA lists this system as serving Barre.
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 Barre 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 Barre 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 Barre water system had EPA violations?
EPA records show no health-based violations for Barre City Water System since 2016. There were also 1 monitoring or reporting violation, which are about late or missing tests and notices.
Nearby cities
- Montpelier101 mg/LModerately hard
- South Burlington67 mg/LModerately hard
- Winooski62 mg/LModerately hard
- Burlington62 mg/LModerately hard
Hardness data: TapWaterData US Water Hardness (calculated from utility data, July 28, 2022), CC BY 4.0. Population: US Census Bureau. Violations: EPA ECHO. How we use them.