Elizabethtown Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5.8 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
7.6
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.003 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
176.5 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.27
energy & soap waste
Source: USGS Water Quality Portal · Updated 2026
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 Elizabethtown, your appliances are currently losing 13% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Elizabethtown | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.3 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -26% |
| Washing Machine | 9.9 yrs | 12 yrs | -17% |
| Water Heater | 11.6 yrs | 15 yrs | -23% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Elizabethtown compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Elizabethtown, Kentucky | 100 mg/L | 3.9 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
| Radcliff, Kentucky | 228 mg/L | 6.9 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Bardstown, Kentucky | 91 mg/L | 3.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
| Valley Station, Kentucky | 126.5 mg/L | 4.5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Pleasure Ridge Park, Kentucky | 165.5 mg/L | 5.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Elizabethtown compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Elizabethtown | 100 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Elizabethtown's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Elizabethtown, Kentucky, the Hardin County seat — a major central Kentucky Fort Knox military community (Elizabethtown is the Hardin County seat and the principal city of the Fort Knox corridor — a central Kentucky city adjacent to Fort Knox (one of the most significant US Army installations in the country — Fort Knox is home of the US Army Armor Center and School and is famously the location of the United States Bullion Depository (the 'Fort Knox gold vault' — where the US government stores a significant portion of its gold bullion reserves; Fort Knox's gold vault is one of the most fortified facilities in the United States and has become a cultural byword for maximum security)); Elizabethtown is also famously linked to the 2005 Cameron Crowe film 'Elizabethtown' (the film brought national attention to the city)), a diverse Hardin County community with a significant military and veteran, African-American, and working-class population, adjacent to Radcliff and Vine Grove in the Hardin County Fort Knox corridor, and the regional center for the central Kentucky Fort Knox metro area — draws its municipal water supply via the Elizabethtown Water Company. Water hardness in Elizabethtown measures 100 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Elizabethtown's moderate hardness reflects the central Kentucky Hardin County Rolling Fork River watershed's calcareous-moderate transition geology. The Rolling Fork watershed drains the Ordovician Lexington Limestone and Mississippian St. Louis Limestone (calcareous-moderate). Elizabethtown Water treatment produces the moderate 100 mg/L.
At 100 mg/L, Elizabethtown residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning is recommended. Elizabethtown Water Company consistently delivers water meeting all Kentucky DEP and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: River supply from the Rolling Fork River (Freeman Lake watershed) via the Elizabethtown Water Company — the Hardin County central Kentucky Fort Knox corridor (Ordovician calcareous-moderate Lexington Limestone and Mississippian calcareous St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve Limestones — the calcareous-moderate central Kentucky Inner Bluegrass–Knobs transition karst; effective treatment); moderately hard supply at 100 mg/L in Hardin County.