NYC Water Systems by My Home Water System

Water softeners and filtration in New York City, NY

How hard is New York City water?

Total hardness reported by NYC DEP: Average 32 mg/L (2 grains per gallon), range 18-100 mg/L (Calendar year 2025).

Soft to moderately hard NYC DEP's figures for New York City read as soft to moderately hard on the USGS scale.

SoftMod.HardVery hard
New York City: 18 to 100 mg/L on USGS bands, 0 to 400 mg/L.

Source: New York City Drinking Water Supply and Quality Report 2025. Sources last checked October 27, 2026.

Who you are working with. We are lining up one local company to serve this area. The request form names that company before you submit. We are not a water utility.

What does NYC DEP publish about New York City water?

New York City gets its water from reservoirs and lakes in the Catskill, Delaware and Croton watersheds.

MeasureAs publishedPeriodSource
Total hardnessAverage 32 mg/L (2 grains per gallon), range 18-100 mg/LCalendar year 2025New York City Drinking Water Supply and Quality Report 2025

What does 18 to 100 mg/L mean for a New York City home?

18 to 100 mg/L is about 1.1 to 5.8 grains per gallon. The low end, 18 mg/L, is 42 mg/L under the 60 mg/L top of the USGS soft class; New York City's high end, 100 mg/L, is 20 mg/L under the 120 mg/L top of the USGS moderately hard class. (USGS hardness classes)

Which systems fit New York City water?

Water softenerFor hardness; New York City reads as soft to moderately hard.Whole-home filterFor taste and odor from chlorine, which NYC DEP uses.Reverse osmosisDrinking water at one New York City kitchen tap.

How does a New York City quote work?

  1. Send a request from one of the 211 New York City ZIP codes listed below.
  2. An assessment at your home, where your tap can be checked against NYC DEP's published 18 to 100 mg/L.
  3. You get a written quote listing what is included.
  4. Installation and service by that company.

Common questions

How hard is the water in New York City?
Total hardness reported by NYC DEP: Average 32 mg/L (2 grains per gallon), range 18-100 mg/L (Calendar year 2025).
Is New York City water hard or soft?
Soft to moderately hard. The low end, 18 mg/L, is 42 mg/L under the 60 mg/L top of the USGS soft class; New York City's high end, 100 mg/L, is 20 mg/L under the 120 mg/L top of the USGS moderately hard class.
How many grains per gallon is New York City water?
In grains per gallon, as published: 2 grains per gallon (NYC DEP, total hardness, Calendar year 2025).
Where does New York City tap water come from?
New York City water comes from upstate reservoirs: the Catskill and Delaware systems supplied 91.3 percent in 2025 and the Croton system 8.7 percent. Source: NYC 2025 Drinking Water Supply and Quality Report.
Is New York City water treated with chlorine or chloramine?
New York City disinfects with chlorine, and Croton water also gets ultraviolet light. The 2025 report does not mention chloramine. Source: NYC 2025 Drinking Water Supply and Quality Report. A softener does not remove it.
Do I need a water softener in New York City?
NYC DEP publishes 18 to 100 mg/L for New York City, which reads as soft to moderately hard. A test at your house shows whether your tap matches it.
Is the water the same in every New York City home?
NYC DEP publishes one figure for its whole system (Calendar year 2025).
How much does a water softener cost in New York City?
We publish no prices for New York City. The installing company gives a written quote after an assessment at your home.
Who installs the system?
We have not named a local installing company for New York City yet. We will tell you the company's name and ask you before your request is shared with anyone.
Is NYC Water Systems part of the city or the water utility?
No. NYC Water Systems is not affiliated with NYC DEP; it copies and links the published figures.
Is booking an assessment a purchase?
No, and a request commits you to nothing.

Which ZIP codes does this page cover?

10001, 10002, 10003, 10004, 10005, 10006, 10007, 10009, 10010, 10011, 10012, 10013, 10014, 10016, 10017, 10018, 10019, 10020, 10021, 10022, 10023, 10024, 10025, 10026, 10027, 10028, 10029, 10030, 10031, 10032, 10033, 10034, 10035, 10036, 10037, 10038, 10039, 10040, 10044, 10065, 10069, 10075, 10103, 10110, 10111, 10112, 10115, 10119, 10128, 10152, 10153, 10154, 10162, 10165, 10167, 10168, 10169, 10170, 10171, 10172, 10173, 10174, 10177, 10199, 10271, 10278, 10279, 10280, 10282, 10301, 10302, 10303, 10304, 10305, 10306, 10307, 10308, 10309, 10310, 10311, 10312, 10314, 10451, 10452, 10453, 10454, 10455, 10456, 10457, 10458, 10459, 10460, 10461, 10462, 10463, 10464, 10465, 10466, 10467, 10468, 10469, 10470, 10471, 10472, 10473, 10474, 10475, 11004, 11005, 11101, 11102, 11103, 11104, 11105, 11106, 11109, 11201, 11203, 11204, 11205, 11206, 11207, 11208, 11209, 11210, 11211, 11212, 11213, 11214, 11215, 11216, 11217, 11218, 11219, 11220, 11221, 11222, 11223, 11224, 11225, 11226, 11228, 11229, 11230, 11231, 11232, 11233, 11234, 11235, 11236, 11237, 11238, 11239, 11249, 11354, 11355, 11356, 11357, 11358, 11359, 11360, 11361, 11362, 11363, 11364, 11365, 11366, 11367, 11368, 11369, 11370, 11371, 11372, 11373, 11374, 11375, 11377, 11378, 11379, 11385, 11411, 11412, 11413, 11414, 11415, 11416, 11417, 11418, 11419, 11420, 11421, 11422, 11423, 11424, 11426, 11427, 11428, 11429, 11430, 11432, 11433, 11434, 11435, 11436, 11439, 11451, 11691, 11692, 11693, 11694, 11697

Compare published hardness in other cities on hard water by city.

Machine-readable facts: water.json. Summary for AI assistants: llms.txt.

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