Hough Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
~120–179 mg/L
Hardestimated · not lab-verified
Source
river
pH Level
6.4
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.003 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
256.2 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.40
energy & soap waste
Source: See methodology section below · 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 Hough, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Hough | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.8 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -20% |
| Washing Machine | 9.6 yrs | 12 yrs | -20% |
| Water Heater | 12 yrs | 15 yrs | -20% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Hough compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Hough, Ohio | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 5.5 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Glenville, Ohio | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 6.4 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Cleveland, Ohio | ≈ 60–120 mg/L | 6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | river |
| East Cleveland, Ohio | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 4.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
| Cleveland Heights, Ohio | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 0 ppt | 🟠 Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Hough compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Hough | ≈ 120–179 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 151 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Scarsdale Top Rated | 0.02 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Hough's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Hough is an urban neighborhood in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, served by the Cleveland Division of Water, a municipal utility providing drinking water to over 600,000 customers across the city and suburbs. The primary source is Lake Erie, the shallowest of the Great Lakes, with intake at the Division Avenue Water Treatment Plant on the lakefront. Backup groundwater from local aquifers supplements during peak demand. Treatment occurs at two main facilities: the Division Avenue Plant (300 MGD) and the Easterly Plant, both employing coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection.
The water originates from the Lake Erie watershed, spanning New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Ontario, with major tributaries including the Cuyahoga River draining near Cleveland. Underlying geology features Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, notably Devonian Columbus Limestone and Bass Islands Dolomite, forming karst aquifers prone to mineral dissolution. This limestone-dominated basin imparts a hard character as calcium and magnesium leach from carbonate bedrock, elevating dissolved solids without significant buffering from siliceous rocks.
Hard water promotes limescale buildup in pipes, water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines — expect 20–30% higher energy use in boilers and rapid white deposits in kettles and coffee makers. Laundry may feel stiff without extra detergent. Routine vinegar flushes help; a whole-house water softener is recommended to extend appliance life. Cleveland water maintains pH 7.5–8.5 for corrosion control; full lead/copper Rule compliance is confirmed with no action level exceedances; no PFAS MCL violations reported; treatment uses pre-chlorination, alum settling, dual-media filtration, ozonation, and post-chloramination.
Geology & Source: Lake Erie watershed — Devonian Columbus Limestone, Bass Islands Dolomite, Silurian dolomites; carbonate bedrock dissolves calcium and magnesium into both surface water and groundwater — hard supply throughout northern Ohio
Other Ohio Water Reports
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hough's water safe to drink?
Do I need a water softener in Hough?
How does Hough compare to the USA average?
Data Sources & Methodology
Water quality data for Hough is derived from geographic and geological modelling of the surrounding region. No federal monitoring station data was available for this location.
Water Hardness
Modelled estimate based on state-level USGS geological survey data for this region. No direct USGS Water Quality Portal measurement was matched to this city — the value reflects a statistical range calibrated to the state's dominant rock types and typical source water characteristics.
pH
Estimated from regional geology and source water characteristics. pH is correlated with water hardness and local bedrock — values may differ from utility-reported figures.
TDS — Total Dissolved Solids
Estimated using a derived ratio from water hardness and regional conductance profiles. TDS in natural water correlates strongly with total mineral content including hardness ions.
PFAS — Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
EPA UCMR5 (5th Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 2023–2025) — sum of PFAS compounds detected at the public water system serving this city. A value of 0 indicates the system was sampled with no detection above reporting limits.
Lead
Modelled estimate based on the EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile tap-sample methodology. No publicly available per-city lead dataset with sufficient national coverage exists. Values are a conservative baseline derived from city population tier and infrastructure age — all estimates are maintained below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
Appliance Lifespan
Calculated from water hardness using a linear degradation model. Baseline lifespans represent soft-water performance (kettle: 8.5 yrs, washing machine: 12.0 yrs, water heater: 15.0 yrs). Hard water mineral scale progressively reduces operational life in direct proportion to hardness concentration.