Cuyahoga Falls Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, in Summit County on the Cuyahoga River gorge — a major Summit County community historically known for Blossom Music Center (the summer home of the Cleveland Orchestra), the Cuyahoga River Falls gorge (the original waterfalls that powered the early industrial mills — much of the gorge is now impounded), and a diverse Northeast Ohio community with significant growth in the I-77 corridor — draws its municipal water supply from the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie via the City of Cuyahoga Falls Water Division. Water hardness in Cuyahoga Falls measures 221 mg/L — classified as very hard.

Cuyahoga Falls' very hard supply reflects the Cuyahoga River watershed's calcareous northeast Ohio geology and the aged urban infrastructure. The Cuyahoga River above Cuyahoga Falls drains the Allegheny Plateau of northeast Ohio: Devonian Ohio Shale (calcareous black marine shale — a primary calcareous formation of the northeast Ohio Devonian sequence); the Devonian Berea Sandstone and Bedford Shale (calcareous-moderate formations); and the Mississippian Sharon Conglomerate (calcareous-cemented conglomerate). Cuyahoga Falls' distribution infrastructure — serving an industrial city with mains dating to the early 20th century mill-town era — accumulates very significant mineral content, producing the very hard 221 mg/L.

At 221 mg/L, Cuyahoga Falls residents face significant hard water challenges. Scale deposits form rapidly on all fixtures and tile — monthly descaling with citric acid solution is essential maintenance. City of Cuyahoga Falls Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Ohio EPA and federal EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.