Anderson Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The Anderson Regional Joint Water System (ARJWS) serves Anderson County and surrounding areas in South Carolina, providing water to the City of Anderson and nearby communities including Homeland Park and West Anderson Water District. The primary source is Lake Hartwell, a 56,000-acre reservoir impounded by Hartwell Dam on the Savannah River. Water is treated at the Lake Hartwell Treatment Plant near Anderson, SC, with an operations center at 314 Tribble Street. Contact ARJWS at (864) 231-5230 for inquiries.

Lake Hartwell's watershed spans the Upper Savannah River Basin, draining from the Appalachian foothills through the Piedmont physiographic province. The geology features ancient metamorphic rocks such as gneiss and schist from the Grenville Province (Precambrian), intruded by granitic plutons, with thin soils and no major karst or carbonate aquifers. This crystalline bedrock yields very soft water, as rainwater quickly percolates through shallow, acidic soils with low mineral content, producing a low-mineralized supply free from significant dissolved hardness ions.

As a soft water supply, scale buildup is minimal, sparing appliances like water heaters, dishwashers, and coffee makers from rapid calcification. Laundry detergents and soaps lather efficiently, and skin feels less dry after washing. No softener is needed or recommended, as over-softening could strip beneficial minerals; instead, sediment filters may help if turbidity arises from reservoir algae. Routine maintenance involves descaling only every few years and monitoring for corrosion in pipes due to low buffering capacity. ARJWS reports turbidity averaging 0.06 NTU post-filtration via conventional treatment including coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection.