Union City Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The City of Union City Water System (WSID# GA1210010), located at 5047 Union Street, Union City, Georgia 30291, serves Fulton County near Atlanta. The utility purchases treated drinking water from the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management. Atlanta sources raw water from the Chattahoochee River and treats it at two surface water treatment plants: the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant and the Riverview Water Treatment Plant. Union City distributes this water through its local system, ensuring compliance with state and federal standards; contact John Hughes at (770) 306-6855 for details.

The Chattahoochee River watershed spans the southern Appalachian Piedmont into the Atlantic Coastal Plain, draining approximately 8,770 square miles. In the upper reaches near Atlanta, water flows over resistant metamorphic rocks — gneiss, granite, and schist from Precambrian and Paleozoic periods — with limited limestone exposures. Further downstream, Cretaceous and Tertiary sands, clays, and minor limestones of the Coastal Plain Formations influence flow. This predominantly siliceous, low-carbonate geology results in reduced dissolution of hardness-causing minerals, yielding a soft water character unlike limestone karst areas.

Soft water, as supplied to Union City, poses minimal risk of scale buildup in plumbing, water heaters, kettles, dishwashers, and washing machines. Appliances experience less mineral accumulation, extending lifespan and reducing energy costs without frequent descaling. Soap and detergents lather easily, potentially allowing reduced usage; no water softener is recommended or necessary. The 2023 and 2024 Consumer Confidence Reports confirm Union City's water meets or exceeds EPA and Georgia standards; treatment by Atlanta involves coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection, with Union City adding distribution monitoring.