Water hardness in Melbourne
18 mg/L soft
Tap water in Melbourne is soft: 18 mg/L (1.1 gpg · 1 °dH · 1.8 °fH).
Source: Yarra Valley Water, Drinking Water Quality Annual Report 2025-26 (Table 20, Hardness) (2026) · data checked 2026-10-23
Range across supply zones: 6–57 mg/L.
56 supply zones — hardness varies by neighbourhood; the figure above is the median.
Hardness by district / supply zone
| mg/L | mg/L | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Altona (GWW sampling locality) | 22 | 22 | soft |
| Brahams Road (YVW water sampling area 74) | 12 | 12 | soft |
| Bulla (GWW sampling locality) | 18 | 18 | soft |
| Bundoora (YVW water sampling area 14) | 26 | 26 | soft |
| Caroline Springs (GWW sampling locality) | 19 | 19 | soft |
| Craigieburn (YVW water sampling area 75) | 19 | 19 | soft |
| Croydon (YVW water sampling area 51) | 18 | 18 | soft |
| Deer Park (GWW sampling locality) | 23 | 23 | soft |
| Diggers Rest (GWW sampling locality) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Doncaster (YVW water sampling area 50) | 16 | 16 | soft |
| East Keilor (GWW sampling locality) | 24 | 24 | soft |
| Eltham (YVW water sampling area 25) | 30 | 30 | soft |
| Emerald (YVW water sampling area 46) | 14 | 14 | soft |
| Epping (YVW water sampling area 17) | 30 | 30 | soft |
| Eynesbury (GWW sampling locality) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Glen Waverley (YVW water sampling area 60) | 15 | 15 | soft |
| Glenroy (YVW water sampling area 7) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Healesville (YVW water sampling area 22) | 11 | 11 | soft |
| Ivanhoe (YVW water sampling area 55) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Kalkallo (YVW water sampling area 77) | 30 | 30 | soft |
| Kangaroo Ground (YVW water sampling area 76) | 36 | 36 | soft |
| Kew (YVW water sampling area 53) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Lilydale (YVW water sampling area 48) | 14 | 14 | soft |
| Little River (GWW sampling locality) | 25 | 25 | soft |
| Lower Plenty (YVW water sampling area 16) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Lyrebird Avenue (YVW water sampling area 73) | 13 | 13 | soft |
| Malvern (YVW water sampling area 61) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Maribyrnong (GWW sampling locality) | 20 | 20 | soft |
| Melton South (GWW sampling locality) | 16 | 16 | soft |
| Mitcham (YVW water sampling area 52) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Montrose (YVW water sampling area 56) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Moonee Ponds (GWW sampling locality) | 19 | 19 | soft |
| Northcote (YVW water sampling area 10) | 22 | 22 | soft |
| Parkville (GWW sampling locality) | 22 | 22 | soft |
| Plenty (YVW water sampling area 18) | 29 | 29 | soft |
| Preston (YVW water sampling area 9) | 18 | 18 | soft |
| Richmond (GWW sampling locality) | 16 | 16 | soft |
| Ridge/Monbulk (YVW water sampling area 47) | 14 | 14 | soft |
| Rockbank (GWW sampling locality) | 15 | 15 | soft |
| Seville (YVW water sampling area 24) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| Somerton (YVW water sampling area 12) | 17 | 17 | soft |
| South East Water service area (system-wide) | 18 | 18 | soft |
| Strathmore (GWW sampling locality) | 18 | 18 | soft |
| Sunbury (GWW sampling locality) | 42 | 42 | soft |
| Taylors Lakes (GWW sampling locality) | 18 | 18 | soft |
| Toolern Vale (GWW sampling locality) | 45 | 45 | soft |
| Tullamarine (GWW sampling locality) | 18 | 18 | soft |
| Warburton (YVW water sampling area 21) | 13 | 13 | soft |
| Warranwood (YVW water sampling area 49) | 16 | 16 | soft |
| Werribee (GWW sampling locality) | 23 | 23 | soft |
| Whittlesea (YVW water sampling area 20) | 43 | 43 | soft |
| Williamstown (GWW sampling locality) | 22 | 22 | soft |
| Woori Yallock (YVW water sampling area 26) | 13 | 13 | soft |
| Yarra Glen (YVW water sampling area 23) | 10 | 10 | soft |
| Yarra Junction (YVW water sampling area 72) | 13 | 13 | soft |
| Yarrambat (YVW water sampling area 19) | 43 | 43 | soft |
Yarra Valley Water distributes bulk supply from Melbourne Water, which is drawn largely from protected forested mountain catchments such as the Thomson and Upper Yarra reservoirs. The figure shown, 18.0 mg/L CaCO₃, is the median across 56 supply zones, which range from 6.0 to 57.0 mg/L, so it depends on which zone your street is in. Limescale is a minor issue here; a softener is unlikely to be necessary.
Australian Drinking Water Guidelines: aesthetic target ≤ 200 mg/L CaCO₃.
Water data
| Total hardness | 18 mg/L |
|---|---|
| Utility | Yarra Valley Water |
How Melbourne compares
- Tap water in Melbourne is 79 % softer than the median of the 307 cities we track in Australia (85 mg/L).
- By hardness it ranks 294 of 307 in Australia (1 = hardest); 3 % of these cities have softer water.
- In Victoria it is number 38 of 46 cities; the regional median is 66 mg/L.
- Nearest city with clearly harder water: Tylden, 73 km away (65 mg/L).
Ranking of the hardest and softest water in Australia →
What it means at home
- Little or no limescale in kettles, water heaters or washing machines.
- Soap lathers easily; water does not dry skin or hair.
- Dishwasher: salt setting at minimum or off.
- No softener needed; a jug filter only changes taste.
How much salt will you use for softening?
No. Water this soft does not need softening.
Descale a coffee machine or kettle about every 6 months (typical manufacturer guidance for this hardness).
Estimates for planning, not a quote. Check your appliance manual for exact settings.
Dishwasher setting in Melbourne
| Brand | Setting for this water |
|---|---|
| Bosch | H00 |
| Miele | 1 °dH |
| AEG / Electrolux | 1 |
| Beko | 1st |
| Hoover | S0 |
| LG | H0 |
From each brand's manual for the model family named in the source; your model may differ, so check its manual. All brands and how to change the setting →
FAQ
Is Melbourne water hard or soft?
It is soft: 18 mg/L as CaCO₃ (1.1 gpg, 1 °dH). The usual bands are soft < 60, moderately hard 60–120, hard 120–180 and very hard > 180 mg/L.
Is tap water in Melbourne safe to drink?
Hardness is not a health issue; it is about limescale, taste and appliances. Mains water must meet national drinking-water standards. Australian Drinking Water Guidelines: aesthetic target ≤ 200 mg/L CaCO₃.
How many grains per gallon is Melbourne water?
1.1 gpg, equal to 1 °dH, 1.8 °fH or 18 mg/L calcium carbonate.
What dishwasher salt setting should I use in Melbourne?
For 18 mg/L (1 °dH) check your manufacturer's table: level 0–1, usually no salt.
Do I need a water softener in Melbourne?
No. With soft water a softener adds nothing.
Source
Source: Yarra Valley Water, Drinking Water Quality Annual Report 2025-26 (Table 20, Hardness) (2026). Method: figure published by the water supplier. Yarra Valley Water, Drinking Water Quality Annual Report 2025-26 (Table 20, Hardness) · Outdated figure? Tell us