Winchester Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
3.4 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
7.3
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.001 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
90 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.16
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 Winchester, your appliances are currently losing 8% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Winchester | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 7.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -9% |
| Washing Machine | 11.4 yrs | 12 yrs | -5% |
| Water Heater | 13.2 yrs | 15 yrs | -12% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Winchester compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Winchester, Kentucky | 59 mg/L | 2.9 ppt | 🟢 Soft | river |
| Richmond, Kentucky | 60.5 mg/L | 2.9 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
| Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky | 247 mg/L | 7.3 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Lexington, Kentucky | 245.5 mg/L | 7.3 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Nicholasville, Kentucky | 199.5 mg/L | 6.2 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Winchester compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Winchester | 59 mg/L | 🟢 None |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Winchester's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Winchester, Kentucky, in Clark County — the Clark County seat adjacent to Lexington and Mount Sterling in the central Kentucky Bluegrass region, a historic Bluegrass community in the Kentucky River Palisades area — receives its municipal water from the Winchester Water Division or the Kentucky-American Water Company, drawing from the Kentucky River at the Clark County intake.
The very soft 59 mg/L hardness and very low TDS of 90.0 mg/L are surprisingly soft for Kentucky — significantly softer than the Ohio River supplies in western Kentucky (Erlanger KY: 121 mg/L) and even the Frankfort KY supply. This reflects the Kentucky River at Winchester's character: the river above Clark County drains the Cumberland Plateau of eastern Kentucky (insoluble Pennsylvanian sandstone and Devonian shale), with limited contact with the Ordovician Lexington Limestone (the primary Kentucky Bluegrass carbonate), producing the very soft supply.
At 59 mg/L, Winchester's water is very soft — essentially no scale forms, soap lathers abundantly, and appliances maintain excellent efficiency. Annual descaling is sufficient. The PFAS level of 2.9 ppt is excellent — the Kentucky River upper watershed's rural character and the limited major PFAS industrial sources in the Clark County-Appalachian Plateau drainage produce one of the cleanest supplies in the data set.
Geology & Source: Winchester in Clark County draws from the Winchester Water Division on the Kentucky River (Clark County, Palisades Gorge) — the Kentucky River at Winchester drains the Cumberland Plateau and the Bluegrass Region (Ordovician Lexington Limestone — thin bedded) — Kentucky River Ordovician Lexington Limestone-sandstone drainage produces very soft water at 59 mg/L with very low TDS 90 mg/L in this Clark County Kentucky city.