LocalDataPoint

Horsham Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Water Hardness

66.5mg/L
Moderately Hard

Source

reservoir

pH Level

7.5

neutral = 7.0

Lead

0.003 mg/L

✓ Below action level

TDS

134.9 mg/L

Est. Daily Cost

A$0.21

energy & soap waste

66.5mg/L as CaCO₃Moderately Hard

0–60

mg/L

Soft

61–120

mg/L

Moderately Hard

121–180

mg/L

Hard

180+

mg/L

Very Hard

Appliance Damage Report

In Horsham, your appliances are currently losing 9% efficiency due to mineral buildup.

ApplianceIn HorshamSoft Water CityEfficiency Loss
Kettle
7.4 yrs
8.5 yrs-13%
Washing Machine
11.1 yrs
12 yrs-8%
Water Heater
12.9 yrs
15 yrs-14%

Regional Water Comparison

How Horsham compares to its nearest neighbours

CityHardnessRiskSource
Horsham, Victoria66.5 mg/L🟡 Moderately Hardreservoir
Hamilton, Victoria109.5 mg/L🟡 Moderately Hardreservoir
Warrnambool, Victoria45.5 mg/L🟢 Softreservoir
Mount Gambier, South Australia250 mg/L🔴 Very Hardgroundwater
Wendouree, Victoria28.5 mg/L🟢 Softreservoir

National Benchmark

How Horsham compares to the Australia average

BenchmarkHardnessAppliance Risk
Horsham66.5 mg/L🟡 Low
Australia National Avg125 mg/L🟠 Moderate
Boronia Top Rated5 mg/L🟢 None

Bring Boronia-quality water to your Horsham home

Shop water softeners on Amazon.com

Shop Now

What Makes Horsham's Water Unique?

Local geology and source profile

Source: ReservoirTDS: 134.9 mg/LpH: 7.5

Horsham's drinking water is supplied by GWMWater (Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water), drawing from the Grampians reservoir system — including Lake Bellfield (Fyans Creek) and Lake Fyans (Fyans Valley) — in the Grampians National Park, with transfer to the Wimmera-Mallee Pipeline network serving the regional city of Horsham in Victoria. Water hardness in Horsham is measured at 66.5 mg/L — classified as slightly hard — within the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) aesthetic guideline of 200 mg/L published by NHMRC. Horsham — the commercial capital of the Wimmera agricultural region in western Victoria, known for the Wimmera River parkland precinct, the Natimuk Climbing Festival, and the grain belt farming landscape — benefits from the Grampians mountain catchment supply delivering comparatively moderate hardness to this regional agricultural centre.

Horsham's slightly elevated hardness reflects the Grampians Group sandstone and Cambrian–Devonian Mt William granite geology of the Grampians National Park catchments. Lake Bellfield and Lake Fyans collect rainfall from the Grampians highlands — where ancient Cambrian–Silurian siliciclastic sandstones (Grampians Group) and Devonian granite intrusives provide moderate calcium and silica dissolution — contributing a gently mineralised regional supply compared to the very soft eastern Victorian alpine granite supplies. The Horsham 66.5 mg/L and TDS 134.9 mg/L is consistent with this modest western Victoria Grampians catchment mineral character.

Horsham residents can expect occasional moderate limescale on taps and in kettles — descaling every two to three months is adequate. Hot water systems benefit from periodic inspection. The elevated lead reading (0.003 mg/L) warrants briefly running the cold tap before use. GWMWater provides water quality information online, with all ADWG health standards consistently met. The relatively soft Grampians reservoir supply is an important resource for Horsham's irrigation and dryland farming community in the Wimmera agricultural region.

Geology & Source: Supplied by GWMWater (Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water) from the Grampians reservoir system including Lake Bellfield and Lake Fyans in the Grampians National Park — the Horsham Wimmera regional supply carries slightly hard water at 66.5 mg/L, reflecting the Cambrian–Devonian granite and Grampians Group sandstone terrain of the Grampians highlands that produces the moderately mineralised Wimmera regional supply.

Other Victoria Water Reports

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Horsham's water safe to drink?
Yes. Horsham's water meets all federal safety standards. The hardness is 66.5 mg/L (Moderately Hard), which is safe to drink. High hardness affects appliances and taste, but poses no health risk.
Do I need a water softener in Horsham?
Horsham's water is moderately hard at 66.5 mg/L. A water softener is generally not necessary, though a carbon filter can improve taste and remove any remaining chlorine.
How does Horsham compare to the Australia average?
The Australia national average is 125 mg/L. Horsham at 66.5 mg/L is 59 mg/L below the national average. The softest major city is Boronia at just 5 mg/L.