How hard is the water in Montpelier, VT?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 13.4 ppm (0.8 grains per gallon), classified as soft. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 05602?

There is no high-hardness trigger in this profile. Confirm conditions with an at-home hardness test before purchasing equipment.

Local water dashboard

Official source aggregation

Water quality in Montpelier, VT 05602

Q: Is tap water safe in Montpelier?

EPA SDWIS shows no active health-based violation in this profile's reporting window. That is not the same as proving every contaminant is absent, and federal data can lag state and utility records.

A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Washington County.

1 reported benchmark flag

Primary matched system: Montpelier Water System
Source water: Surface water
County: Washington County
Profile updated: Jun 30, 2026

At a glance

What the current records say

EPA quarter 2026Q2

Hardness

Soft

13.4 PPM · 0.8 GPG

Compliance screen

No active flag

0 active health-based records

Lead 90th percentile

0.002 mg/L

13% of action level

Utility match

1 system

Serves 8,912 people system-wide

Hardness meter

How hard is the water?

Soft

Estimated local hardness

USGS hardness classification scale

13.4 PPM

Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+

Parts per million

13.4

mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent

Grains per gallon

0.8

1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM

What this means at home

At 13.4 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

Nearest site

28.7 mi

Observation range

Jan 5, 2016–May 31, 2023

Estimate confidence

Low

Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: SLEEPERS RIVER TRIB (W-2), NR NORTH DANVILLE, VT (Stream).USGS source documentation ↗

Regional context

Is 05602 typical?

These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.

Montpelier median

13 PPM

About the same

1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 13.4–13.4 PPM

Vermont median

98 PPM

85 PPM lower

93 indexed ZIP readings · Range 10.5–176 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 pass1 fail

Lead (PB90)

0.002 mg/L

Reported Dec 31, 2025

Copper (CU90)

1.5 mg/L

Reported Dec 31, 1992

Numerical coverage

2 comparable results

Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.

Lead (90th percentile)

Measured in mg/L

Pass

Local 0.002

EPA limit 0.015

Copper (90th percentile)

Measured in mg/L

Fail

Local 1.5

EPA limit 1.3

Share of EPA benchmark

100% line = listed limit

EPA SDWIS compliance

Reported violation history

Open EPA source documentation ↗

2026Q2

All records: 3
Health-based: 0
Active health-based: 0

Contaminant or rule	System	Status	Period
Consumer Confidence Rule	VT0005272	Resolved	Jul 1, 2025through Nov 7, 2025
TTHM	VT0005272	Resolved	Oct 1, 2024through Dec 31, 2024
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	VT0005272	Resolved	Oct 1, 2024through Dec 31, 2024

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 Montpelier ZIP 05602 using 13.4 PPM nearby hardness and 2 reported measurement benchmarks.

1 match

Drinking water protection

Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis System

Copper (90th percentile) 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.

Explore under-sink filtration

Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases, at no added cost to you. Product matching is educational and does not replace certified water testing.

Frequently asked

Water questions for Montpelier

Is tap water safe in Montpelier?+

EPA ECHO shows no active health-based violation for the associated systems in this reporting snapshot. This does not prove every contaminant is absent; federal records can lag and household plumbing can change tap conditions.

How hard is the water?+

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 13.4 PPM, or 0.8 grains per gallon, classified as soft. 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.