Gastonia Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Two Rivers Utilities, serving Gastonia in Gaston County, North Carolina, sources its drinking water from Mountain Island Lake on the Catawba River. The utility operates treatment facilities that process this surface water supply for approximately 100,000 residents across the greater Gastonia area, including parts of southern Gaston County. Water is drawn from this reservoir, created in 1924, and undergoes conventional treatment including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection before distribution.

The Catawba River watershed spans the Carolinas, with Mountain Island Lake fed by upstream tributaries flowing over the Piedmont's ancient metamorphic rocks — gneiss, schist, and granitic formations from Precambrian and Paleozoic periods. This geology imparts a hard character to the water through natural dissolution of calcium and magnesium from weathered bedrock and limestone-bearing soils. The mineralised profile reflects the basin's rocky terrain rather than soft, sandy coastal sediments, with no major aquifer involved as the supply is entirely surface-based.

Hard water in this supply leads to scale buildup in pipes, heaters, and fixtures, most affecting water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines by reducing efficiency and lifespan. Soap lathering is poorer, and skin may feel dry. Regular vinegar descaling, installing scale inhibitors, or a water softener is recommended to mitigate these effects and protect appliances. The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report confirms compliance with EPA standards, including turbidity below 0.3 NTU; pH is neutral to slightly alkaline, and chlorination is used for disinfection with ongoing monitoring for disinfection byproducts and metals.