Scottsboro Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Scottsboro, Alabama, in Jackson County — the Jackson County seat on the Tennessee River adjacent to the Guntersville Lake reservoir in northeast Alabama — receives its municipal water from the Scottsboro Water Division, drawing from the Tennessee River (Jackson County) through the northeast Alabama water treatment system.

The hard 171 mg/L hardness and TDS of 442.6 mg/L reflect the northeast Alabama Tennessee River supply's hard Valley and Ridge calcareous-dolomitic character — consistent with other Tennessee Valley communities (Guntersville: ~170 mg/L; Fort Payne: ~168 mg/L). The Tennessee River at Jackson County drains the Tennessee Valley and Ridge province — Ordovician Knox Dolomite (dolomitic — primary TDS contributor), Mississippian Fort Payne Chert (siliceous, calcareous — hardness contributor), Mississippian Warsaw Limestone (calcareous — primary hardness contributor), and Cambrian Conasauga Formation (calcareous). The Ordovician dolomite and Mississippian limestone produce the hard Tennessee Valley supply.

At 171 mg/L, Scottsboro's water is hard — scale builds steadily in kettles and appliances, dishwashers benefit from rinse aid, and water heaters should be descaled annually. Monthly descaling is recommended. The PFAS level of 8.0 ppt warrants a certified reverse osmosis drinking water filter — Redstone Arsenal (Madison County — AFFF) and the northeast Alabama Tennessee River corridor contribute to Scottsboro's elevated readings.