Florence Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The City of Florence Utilities Department provides drinking water to approximately 79,745 people, including 30,671 households and 3,491 businesses in Florence, South Carolina. The primary supply is groundwater from the Crouch Branch Aquifer, comprising about 60% via a well system, with the remaining 40% drawn from the Pee Dee River at the Frank E. Willis Pee Dee River Regional Surface Water Plant. The utility operates both sources to meet demand across Florence County.

The Pee Dee River watershed spans from the Appalachian Mountains through the Piedmont and Coastal Plain physiographic provinces, with rock formations including Triassic sandstones, Cretaceous Black Creek Formation sediments, and Quaternary coastal deposits. The Crouch Branch Aquifer, embedded in the Black Creek Formation's unconsolidated sands and clays, governs groundwater chemistry through limited mineral contact. This sandy geology restricts calcium and magnesium leaching compared to limestone or dolomite terrains, imparting a soft water character to the blended supply with low dissolved solids.

Soft water minimizes scale buildup in pipes, water heaters, and dishwashers, reducing maintenance needs and extending appliance life without frequent descaling. Soap lathers efficiently, and fixture staining is rare. No water softener is typically recommended; routine filter checks suffice for most households. The 2024 Water Quality Report confirms full compliance with state and federal standards, with no violations for lead and copper; sodium averaged 23 ppm from natural sources, and treatment involves filtration, disinfection, blending at the surface plant, and wellhead treatment for groundwater, with pH stable throughout.