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Charlottetown is one of the few Canadian cities that drinks only groundwater. The Charlottetown Water and Sewer Utility pumps it from wellfields in the Winter River watershed and at Miltonvale, and the water is not softened or filtered before it reaches homes. Groundwater picks up minerals from the rock, so it is much harder than the lake water of other Atlantic cities. The City's 2025 chemical analysis gives a typical figure of 168.2 mg/L of hardness in the distribution system, and the wellfields ranged from 131 to 173 mg/L. That is hard water. Expect scale in your coffee maker and kettle, and a white film on glasses.
Data last reviewed October 24, 2026.
Charlottetown ranks #7 hardest of 31 cities in the Canadian Hard Water Report 2026. See the full ranking
In other units
Source: City of Charlottetown, 2025 Chemical Analyses Report, wells and distribution (PDF). Data for: 2025, typical distribution system result. Checked October 24, 2026.
Expect scale in your coffee maker and kettle, and a white film on glasses. Descale the coffee maker and ice machine regularly, and clean the dishwasher and the washer about every two weeks.
Scale shows up first where water gets heated, so start with the coffee maker.
The dishwasher and the washer need regular cleaning too. One kit covers all three machines.
Only dishwashers with a built-in water softener have a hardness setting. Here is the setting for this water, worked out from each maker's own table.
| Brand | Setting |
|---|---|
| Bosch and ThermadorCanadian models with a softener. H:00 is off. | H:02 |
| GaggenauSame ranges as Bosch. The display shows the °E band. | 11-12 |
| MieleSet in °dH. Below 5, Miele says no salt is needed. | 9 |
| Fisher & PaykelDishDrawer models with a softener. 0 is off. | 1 |
Most North American dishwashers, including Bosch models sold in the United States, have no water softener and no hardness setting. With those, use rinse aid and run a dishwasher cleaner once a month.
Sources: Bosch SHX78CC5UC manual, Thermador DWHD661EFP manual, Gaggenau DF481701 manual, Miele dishwasher manual (Canada), Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer guide
Softeners take hardness in US grains per gallon: the figure in mg/L divided by 17.12, rounded up.
| Brand | Setting |
|---|---|
| Nespresso Essenza PlusHardness level, and cups between descalings | Level 2 (2,000 cups) |
| Jura E8Hardness setting | 9 °dH |
Sources: Nespresso Essenza Plus manual, Jura E8 manual, Breville Barista Touch manual, De'Longhi descaling FAQ, Keurig descaling page
Hard water leaves scale on the heating element and the drum, and more detergent residue behind.
Removes limescale, mineral buildup and coffee oils inside your coffee maker.
Descales for better-tasting coffee
Dissolves grease, detergent residue and limescale buildup, and removes odour-causing buildup.
Clears grease, limescale and odour buildup
Breaks down residue and odour-causing buildup inside your washer.
Removes odour and buildup from the drum and hoses
Removes mineral buildup and odours inside your ice machine.
Descales and freshens ice machines
We use the U.S. Geological Survey scale, in mg/L as CaCO₃.
Utilities usually report hardness in mg/L as calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), which is the same as ppm. Dishwasher and softener manuals often use grains per gallon or German degrees instead. Here is how they convert:
Yes. The City's 2025 report gives a typical distribution system figure of 168.2 mg/L, and the previous year's report gave 154.8 mg/L. Water counts as hard above 120 mg/L.
Because it comes from wells. Halifax treats lake water that is extremely soft before treatment, while Charlottetown pumps groundwater, which has dissolved minerals from the rock. Halifax's figures were 18 and 48 mg/L.
No. Stratford is not on Charlottetown's water system. Homes on private wells elsewhere on the Island are not covered either.
For dishwashers with a built-in water softener, each maker's table gives: Charlottetown distribution system (groundwater wellfields): Bosch and Thermador H:02, Gaggenau 11-12, Miele 9, Fisher & Paykel 1. Most North American dishwashers, including Bosch models sold in the United States, have no water softener and no hardness setting. With those, use rinse aid and run a dishwasher cleaner once a month.
Charlottetown distribution system (groundwater wellfields): 10 grains per US gallon (rounded up).
Charlottetown distribution system (groundwater wellfields): 9.8 grains per US gallon, or 11.8 grains per imperial gallon.
City of Charlottetown, 2025 Chemical Analyses Report, wells and distribution (PDF). Data for 2025, typical distribution system result. We update this page when a new report comes out.
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