Pataskala Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Pataskala, Ohio, in Licking County — a Licking County city adjacent to Newark and Kirkersville in central Ohio — receives its municipal water from the Pataskala Water Division, drawing from the North Fork Licking River (Licking County) through the central Ohio water treatment system.

The moderately hard 152 mg/L hardness and TDS of 287.3 mg/L reflect the central Ohio Licking River supply's moderate Pennsylvanian-Mississippian calcareous character — consistent with other Licking County communities (Newark: ~155 mg/L; Granville: ~150 mg/L). The North Fork Licking River at Licking County drains the Allegheny Plateau — Pennsylvanian Conemaugh Group (calcareous shale — primary hardness contributor), Pennsylvanian Monongahela Formation (calcareous), and Mississippian Cuyahoga Formation (calcareous shale and sandstone — secondary contributor). The Pennsylvanian calcareous shale produces the moderately hard central Ohio supply.

At 152 mg/L, Pataskala's water is moderately hard — scale builds in kettles and appliances over months, dishwashers benefit from rinse aid, and faucet aerators need periodic cleaning. Quarterly descaling is appropriate. The PFAS level of 5.9 ppt warrants a certified drinking water filter — the Licking County central Ohio industrial corridor and the Ohio industrial PFAS background from the Columbus metro complex contribute to Pataskala's readings.