Water Hardness in Maine
Average: 53 PPMSoft388 cities387 water systems
State report
Is Maine Water Hard or Soft?
Maine water is soft on average at 53 PPM (3.1 GPG). Local readings can vary by utility, aquifer, treatment plant, and private well use.
State average
53 PPM
Soft
Local coverage
388 cities
387 water systems
Source profile
323 ZIPs
direct or USGS-backed
83% of covered ZIPs use treated-water records or USGS monitoring, so the state report has relatively strong source support.
State data profile
How to read the Maine results
State pages are screening and comparison hubs. They summarize ZIP, city, and water-system patterns so you can find the local page that best matches your home or utility.
Direct or USGS-backed ZIPs
323 of 390
83% use treated-water records or USGS monitoring.
Estimated ZIP values
67 ZIPs
17% use nearby, county, or state-level fallback values.
Dataset update
March 9, 2026
Source coverage and rollups are rebuilt from the public dataset.
Use the source coverage below to judge how much local confirmation a specific city or ZIP needs. The methodology page explains the source hierarchy, weighting, and limitations.
State Average
53 PPM
Soft
Coverage
388 cities
387 water systems in the state rollup.
Data Source Coverage
ZIP-level source mix for Maine; higher direct and USGS coverage means less reliance on regional estimates.
390 ZIPs covered
Verified treated water
Utility, CCR, or state treated-water records
49%
192 ZIPs
High-confidence USGS
Environmental monitoring matched to local systems
34%
131 ZIPs
Estimated
Nearby, county, or state-level fallback values
17%
67 ZIPs
In Maine, 49% of ZIPs use verified treated-water records, 34% use high-confidence USGS monitoring, and 17% use estimates that should be confirmed locally for treatment decisions.
What the Data Shows in Maine
Most classified ZIPs in Maine are below the hard-water threshold, though local systems can still vary.
Maine uses a mixed data profile across treated-water records, USGS monitoring, and estimated fallback values.
Use the city table below to compare local results. For estimated locations or unusually high readings, confirm with your utility or a home hardness test before sizing treatment equipment.
ZIP Hardness Distribution
Soft77% (299)
Slightly Hard10% (40)
Moderately Hard3% (13)
Hard10% (38)
Very Hard0% (0)
Treatment Takeaway
Hardness treatment is less likely to be needed statewide, but local water systems can still differ from the state pattern. Test first if you see scale or spotting.
How to Use This Data
The source coverage is relatively strong in Maine, so these pages are useful for comparing local patterns before confirming your home's exact hardness.
Source-Backed Water Systems in Maine
Large systems with treated-water reports or USGS monitoring behind the state rollup.
| Water system | Hardness | Source label | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland Water District-Greater ME0091300 - Cumberland County | 20 PPM Soft | Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report | 135,068 |
| Bangor Water District ME0090110 - Penobscot County | 20 PPM Soft | Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report | 27,298 |
| Lewiston Water & Sewer Division ME0090830 - Androscoggin County | 20 PPM Soft | Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report | 23,720 |
| Brunswick/Topsham Water District ME0090260 - Cumberland County | 20 PPM Soft | Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report | 18,250 |
| Auburn Water District ME0090070 - Androscoggin County | 20 PPM Soft | Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report | 17,245 |
| Portland Water District/Steep Falls ME0091302 - Cumberland County | 20 PPM Soft | Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report | 480 |
| Sun Hancock Heights- East ME0007242 - Hancock County | 20 PPM Soft | Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report | 158 |
| Sun Hancock Heights-West ME0107242 - Hancock County | 20 PPM Soft | Annual Water Quality Report Verified - Annual Water Quality Report | 155 |
Useful Maine City Pages
Shortcuts to city pages backed by more ZIP-code or water-system data.
Cities With More Local Data
Prioritize cities with multiple ZIPs and systems, then use source badges on each city page to separate verified treated-water records from estimates.
Top 10 Hardest Water Cities
| # | City | Hardness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Augusta | Hard (210 PPM) |
| 2 | Winslow | Hard (209 PPM) |
| 3 | Farmingdale | Hard (209 PPM) |
| 4 | Gardiner | Hard (198 PPM) |
| 5 | Presque Isle | Moderately Hard (155 PPM) |
| 6 | Houlton | Slightly Hard (94 PPM) |
| 7 | Oxford | Slightly Hard (70 PPM) |
| 8 | Berwick | Soft (52 PPM) |
| 9 | South Berwick | Soft (52 PPM) |
| 10 | Arundel | Soft (48 PPM) |
Top 10 Softest Water Cities
| # | City | Hardness |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brewer | Soft (17 PPM) |
| 2 | Bangor | Soft (20 PPM) |
| 3 | Portland | Soft (20 PPM) |
| 4 | Birch Island | Soft (20 PPM) |
| 5 | Poland Spring | Soft (20 PPM) |
| 6 | Freeport | Soft (21 PPM) |
| 7 | Carmel | Soft (21 PPM) |
| 8 | Sabattus | Soft (22 PPM) |
| 9 | Orono | Soft (33 PPM) |
| 10 | Old Town | Soft (36 PPM) |
All Cities in Maine
City pages marked Estimated use fallback values and should be confirmed with local testing or utility data.
Abbot VillageSoftActonSoftAddisonSoftAlbionHardAlfredSoftAlnaSoftAndoverSoftAnsonSoftArundelSoftAshlandHardAthensSoftAuburnSoftAugustaHardAuroraSoftBailey IslandSoftBangorSoftBar HarborSoftBass HarborSoftBathSoftBealsSoftBelfastSlightly HardBelgradeHardBenedictaSoftBenton StationSoftBernardSoftBerwickSoftBethelSlightly HardBinghamSoftBirch HarborSoftBirch IslandSoftBlue HillSoftBoothbaySoftBowdoinhamSlightly HardBradfordSoftBradleySoftBrewerSoftBridgewaterModerately HardBridgtonSoftBristolSoftBrooklinSoftBrooksSoftBrooksvilleSoftBrooktonSoftBrownfieldSoftBrownvilleSlightly HardBryant PondSoftBuckfieldSoftBucksportSoftBurlingtonSoftBurnhamSlightly HardCalaisSlightly HardCambridgeSoftCamdenSoftCanaanSlightly HardCantonSlightly HardCape ElizabethSoftCape NeddickSoftCapitol IslandSoftCaratunkSoftCardvilleSoftCaribouHardCarmelSoftCascoSoftCastineSoftChamberlainSoftCharlestonSoftChebeague IslandSoftCherryfieldSoftCliff IslandSoftClintonHardColumbia FallsSoftCoreaSoftCorinnaSoftCornishSoftCranberry IslesSoftCumberland CenteSoftCumberland ForesSoftCushingSoftCutlerSoftDamariscottaSoftDanforthSoftDeer IsleSoftDenmarkSoftDennysvilleSlightly HardDerbySoftDetroitSoftDexterSoftDixfieldSlightly HardDixmontSoftDover FoxcroftSlightly HardDresdenSoftDurhamSoftEagle LakeHardEast AndoverSoftEast BaldwinSoftEast BoothbaySoftEast CorinthSoftEast EddingtonSoftEast HoldenSoftEast MachiasSoftEast MillinocketSoftEast OrlandSoftEast StonehamSoftEast WaterboroSoftEastonHardEastportSlightly HardEdgecombSoftEliotSoftEllsworthSoftEtnaSoftEustisSoftExeterSoftFalmouthSoftFarmingdaleHardFarmingtonSoftFort FairfieldModerately HardFort KentHardFrankfortSoftFranklinSoftFreedomSoftFreeportSoftFrenchboroSoftFrenchvilleHardFriendshipSoftFryeburgSoftGardinerHardGarlandSoftGorhamSoftGouldsboroSoftGrand IsleHardGraySoftGreeneSoftGreenvilleSoftGreenville JunctSoftGuilfordSlightly HardHallowellHardHampdenSoftHancockSoftHanoverSoftHarborsideSoftHarringtonSoftHarrisonSoftHartlandSoftHebronSoftHiramSoftHollis CenterSoftHopeSoftHoultonSlightly HardHudsonSoftIsland FallsHardIsle Au HautSoftIslesboroSoftIslesfordSoftJackmanSoftJaySlightly HardJeffersonSoftJonesboroSoftJonesportSoftKenduskeagSoftKennebunkSoftKennebunkportSoftKents HillHardKezar FallsSoftKingfieldSoftKingmanSoftKitterySoftKittery PointSoftLagrangeSoftLeeSoftLeedsSoftLevantSoftLewistonSoftLibertySoftLimerickSoftLimestoneHardLimingtonSoftLincolnSoftLincolnvilleSoftLisbonSoftLisbon FallsSoftLitchfieldHardLittle Deer IsleSoftLivermoreSoftLivermore FallsSoftLocke MillsSoftLong IslandSoftLovellSoftLubecSlightly HardMac MahanSoftMachiasSoftMachiasportSoftMadawaskaHardMadisonSoftManchesterHardMapletonModerately HardMaplewoodSoftMars HillHardMatinicusSoftMattawamkeagSoftMechanic FallsSoftMeddybempsSoftMedomakSoftMedwaySoftMexicoSlightly HardMilbridgeSoftMilfordSoftMillinocketSoftMinotSoftMonheganSoftMonmouthHardMonroeSoftMonsonSoftMonticelloModerately HardMorrillSlightly HardMount DesertSoftMount VernonHardNaplesSoftNew GloucesterSoftNew HarborSoftNew SharonSoftNew SwedenModerately HardNew VineyardSoftNewcastleSoftNewportSoftNewrySoftNobleboroSoftNorridgewockSlightly HardNorth AmitySoftNorth AnsonSoftNorth BerwickSoftNorth HavenSoftNorth MonmouthHardNorth New PortlaSoftNorth SebagoSoftNorth SullivanSoftNorth WaterboroSoftNorth WhitefieldSoftNorth YarmouthSoftNortheast HarborSoftNorwaySlightly HardOakfieldSoftOaklandHardOgunquitSoftOld Orchard BeacSoftOld TownSoftOquossocSlightly HardOrlandSoftOronoSoftOrringtonSoftOrrs IslandSoftOwls HeadSoftOxbowSlightly HardOxfordSlightly HardPalermoSoftPalmyraSlightly HardPassadumkeagSoftPattenSoftPeaks IslandSoftPejepscotSoftPemaquidSoftPembrokeSlightly HardPenobscotSoftPerhamModerately HardPerrySlightly HardPeruSoftPhillipsSlightly HardPhippsburgSoftPittsfieldSlightly HardPlymouthSoftPoland SpringSoftPortageModerately HardPorterSoftPortlandSoftPownalSoftPresque IsleModerately HardPrincetonSlightly HardProspect HarborSoftRandolphHardRangeleySoftRaymondSoftReadfieldHardRichmondSlightly HardRobbinstonSlightly HardRocklandSoftRockportSoftRockwoodSoftRound PondSoftRoxburySoftRumfordSlightly HardSabattusSoftSacoSoftSaint AgathaHardSaint AlbansSoftSaint DavidModerately HardSaint FrancisHardSanfordSoftSangervilleSlightly HardSargentvilleSoftScarboroughSoftSeal CoveSoftSeal HarborSoftSearsmontSoftSearsportSlightly HardSeboeisSoftSedgwickSoftShapleighSoftSherman MillsSoftSherman StationSoftSinclairModerately HardSkowheganSoftSmithfieldSoftSmyrna MillsSoftSoldier PondModerately HardSolonSlightly HardSorrentoSoftSouth BerwickSoftSouth BristolSoftSouth ChinaHardSouth HarpswellSoftSouth ParisSlightly HardSouth PortlandSoftSouth ThomastonSoftSouthwest HarborSoftSpringfieldSoftSpringvaleSoftSpruce HeadSoftStandishSoftSteep FallsSoftStetsonSoftSteubenSoftStockholmModerately HardStockton SpringsSlightly HardStoningtonSlightly HardStrattonSoftStrongSoftSunsetSoftSurrySoftSwans IslandSoftTempleSoftTenants HarborSoftThomastonSoftThorndikeSoftTopsfieldSoftTroySoftTurnerSoftUnionSoftUnitySoftVan BurenHardVassalboroHardViennaHardVinalhavenSoftWaldoboroSoftWalpoleSoftWarrenSoftWashburnHardWashingtonSoftWaterboroSoftWaterfordSoftWayneHardWeldSoftWellingtonSoftWellsSoftWest BaldwinSoftWest BowdoinSoftWest BuxtonSoftWest EnfieldSoftWest ForksSoftWest LebanonSoftWest ParisSlightly HardWest SouthportSoftWest SumnerSoftWestbrookSoftWestfieldModerately HardWhitingSoftWiltonSoftWindhamSoftWindsorHardWinnSoftWinslowHardWinter HarborSoftWinterportSlightly HardWinthropHardWiscassetSoftWoodlandSoftWoolwichSoftWytopitlockSoftYarmouthSoftYorkSoft