Norwood Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
14.9 grains per gallon
Source
river
pH Level
8.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.009 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
681.5 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.68
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 Norwood, your appliances are currently losing 34% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Norwood | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 1.5 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -82% |
| Washing Machine | 4.1 yrs | 12 yrs | -66% |
| Water Heater | 5.4 yrs | 15 yrs | -64% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Norwood compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Norwood, Ohio | 255.5 mg/L | 10.1 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Cincinnati, Ohio | 196.5 mg/L | 7.7 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Newport, Kentucky | 197 mg/L | 6.1 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Finneytown, Ohio | 217.5 mg/L | 8.5 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
| Fort Thomas, Kentucky | 186 mg/L | 5.9 ppt | 🔴 Very Hard | river |
National Benchmark
How Norwood compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Norwood | 255.5 mg/L | 🔴 High |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Norwood's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Norwood, Ohio, in Hamilton County — a fully landlocked city surrounded entirely by the City of Cincinnati, one of America's most distinctive enclave cities — a fully independent municipality completely encircled by Cincinnati — receives its municipal water from the Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW), which draws from the Ohio River at the Richard Miller Water Treatment Plant north of Cincinnati, serving the entire greater Cincinnati metro including Norwood.
The very hard 255.5 mg/L hardness and high TDS of 681.5 mg/L are among the highest Ohio River water readings in the Cincinnati metro — the extreme hardness reflects the Ohio River at Cincinnati's combined drainage from the most carbonate-loaded tributaries in the East: the Licking River (Kentucky — Ordovician High Bridge Limestone and Lexington Limestone — extremely carbonate-rich Kentucky Bluegrass geology), the Great Miami River (Ohio Silurian dolomite), the Kentucky River (Ordovician carbonate), and the upstream Ohio-Indiana carbonate platform. Additionally, the Silurian Salina evaporite sequence in Ohio contributes sulfate and elevates TDS significantly.
At 255.5 mg/L with TDS 682 mg/L, Norwood's water is very hard. A whole-house water softener is strongly recommended and kitchen reverse osmosis filtration is advisable. The PFAS level of 10.1 ppt is very high and warrants a certified reverse osmosis drinking water filter — the Cincinnati defense-aerospace industrial complex (GE Aviation, Procter & Gamble chemical manufacturing), Wright-Patterson AFB in the Great Miami upstream watershed, and the Ohio River industrial corridor's accumulated PFAS contribute to the extreme Norwood readings.
Geology & Source: Norwood in Hamilton County is served by the Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) treating the Ohio River — the Ohio River at Cincinnati receives the Licking River (Kentucky Ordovician High Bridge limestone) and the Great Miami River (Ohio Silurian dolomite) — Ohio River mixed Appalachian and Midwest carbonate drainage with evaporite influence produces very hard water at 255.5 mg/L with high TDS 682 mg/L in this Hamilton County Ohio suburb.