Winston-Salem Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Winston-Salem's water supply is operated by the City/County Utility Commission, which manages three water treatment facilities serving the city and surrounding areas in Forsyth County, North Carolina. The utility draws water from two primary sources: the Yadkin River and Salem Lake, a surface-water reservoir. This dual-source system provides operational flexibility and redundancy for the region's water security, with treated water distributed following conventional filtration, disinfection, and chemical treatment processes designed to meet all applicable EPA standards.

The Yadkin River watershed flows through the Piedmont physiographic province, underlain by Precambrian metamorphic bedrock including schist, gneiss, and quartzite formations. This ancient crystalline geology naturally produces soft water with low mineral content, as these rock types dissolve far fewer calcium and magnesium compounds compared to limestone or dolomite formations. The Piedmont's geological character is the primary driver of the supply's soft water chemistry, with minimal dissolved minerals present in the finished product.

At soft hardness levels, Winston-Salem residents experience minimal scale buildup in kettles, water heaters, and pipes, with soap lathering readily. However, soft water can increase the risk of metal leaching from copper pipes, brass fittings, and solder joints; the utility adds lime during treatment to increase hardness slightly and applies corrosion inhibitors to prevent elevated copper and lead levels. Treated water has a pH of approximately 8.0. Recent data show chromium-6 averaging 52 parts per trillion — approximately 2.6 times EPA's negligible cancer risk level — and TTHMs averaging 53.4 ppb; lead testing at the 90th percentile across 53 sites showed less than 3 ppb, meeting EPA standards.