Hardness
Moderately Hard
99.4 PPM · 5.8 GPG
Local water dashboard
Official source aggregationWater quality in Syracuse, NY 13210
A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Onondaga County.
1 active health-based violation
- Primary matched system
- Syracuse City
- Source water
- Surface water
- County
- Onondaga County
- Profile updated
At a glance
What the current records say
EPA quarter 2026Q2
Compliance screen
Review needed
1 active health-based record
Lead 90th percentile
0.012 mg/L
80% of action level
Utility match
1 system
Serves 192,000 people system-wide
Hardness meter
How hard is the water?
Estimated local hardness
USGS hardness classification scale
99.4 PPM
Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+
Parts per million
99.4
mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent
Grains per gallon
5.8
1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM
What this means at home
At 99.4 PPM, mineral scale can build up on fixtures and heating elements, reduce soap lather, and leave visible spotting. Hardness is primarily an aesthetic and appliance concern—not itself a tap-water safety rating.
USGS sites used
45
Nearest site
3.4 mi
Observation range
Jan 21, 2016–Aug 7, 2023
Estimate confidence
Moderate
Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: HARBOR BROOK AT HIAWATHA BOULEVARD, SYRACUSE NY (Stream).USGS source documentation ↗
Regional context
Is 13210 typical?
These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.
Syracuse median
158 PPM
59 PPM lower12 indexed ZIP readings · Range 99.4–175 PPM
New York median
120 PPM
21 PPM lower132 indexed ZIP readings · Range 7.2–290 PPM
EPA benchmark screen
Contaminant snapshot
Available numerical results from associated SDWIS community water systems, compared with the applicable action level or federal MCL. Federal measured-value coverage is incomplete.
1 pass
Lead (PB90)
0.012 mg/L
Reported Dec 31, 2025
Copper (CU90)
Not available
No numerical 90th-percentile result
Numerical coverage
1 comparable result
Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.
Lead (90th percentile)
Measured in mg/L
Local 0.012
EPA limit 0.015
Share of EPA benchmark
100% line = listed limit
2026Q2
- All records
- 12
- Health-based
- 10
- Active health-based
- 1
| Contaminant or rule | System | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | NY3304334 | Unaddressed | Mar 30, 2026 |
| Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Unaddressed | Mar 30, 2025 |
| Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Archived | Mar 1, 2025through Mar 31, 2025 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | NY3304334 | Archived | Sep 29, 2024through Sep 30, 2024 |
| Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Resolved | Jun 1, 2024through Jun 30, 2024 |
| Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Jan 11, 2024 |
| Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Archived | Jan 1, 2024through Dec 31, 2025 |
| Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Resolved | Jan 1, 2024through Jan 13, 2024 |
| Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Resolved | Apr 1, 2023through Apr 7, 2023 |
| Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Resolved | Mar 1, 2023through Mar 25, 2023 |
| Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Resolved | Dec 1, 2022through Dec 1, 2022 |
| Surface Water Treatment RuleHealth-based | NY3304334 | Resolved | Nov 1, 2021through Nov 12, 2021 |
No reported violation does not prove that every contaminant was tested or absent; SDWIS measured values are incomplete and lag state records.
Solutions matcher
Your personalized water action plan
Matched to Syracuse ZIP 13210 using 99.4 PPM nearby hardness and 1 reported measurement benchmarks.
Drinking water protection
Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis System
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule has a measured benchmark flag or active health-based SDWIS record in this profile.
A certified multi-stage RO system targets a broader range of dissolved contaminants at the kitchen tap.
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Nearby indexed reports
Compare ZIPs in Syracuse
Estimates can differ across a city because monitoring locations and associated systems differ.
Frequently asked
Water questions for Syracuse
Is tap water safe in Syracuse?+
EPA ECHO reports 1 active health-based violation among the associated community water systems. Review the affected utility's current notice and Consumer Confidence Report.
How hard is the water?+
Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 99.4 PPM, or 5.8 grains per gallon, classified as moderately hard. This is not a household tap measurement.
Do I need a water softener?+
There is no high-hardness trigger in this profile. Confirm with a tap test before buying equipment.