Florence Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
7.6 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.9
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.007 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
310.2 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.35
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 Florence, your appliances are currently losing 17% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Florence | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 5.3 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -38% |
| Washing Machine | 8.8 yrs | 12 yrs | -27% |
| Water Heater | 10.4 yrs | 15 yrs | -31% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Florence compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Florence, South Carolina | 130 mg/L | 7.1 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Red Hill, South Carolina | 64.5 mg/L | 3.5 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Sumter, South Carolina | 75 mg/L | 4.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Laurinburg, North Carolina | 137.5 mg/L | 7.2 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Conway, South Carolina | 104 mg/L | 5.7 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Florence compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Florence | 130 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Florence's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Florence, South Carolina, the Florence County seat — a major east-central South Carolina Pee Dee region city, a historic railroad hub (Florence was one of the most important railroad junctions in the eastern United States in the 19th–early 20th centuries — the Florence division of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was headquartered here), home of Francis Marion University, a significant Civil War history site (Florence Stockade — a Confederate prisoner of war camp during the Civil War), and a major Pee Dee region commercial and healthcare hub — draws its municipal water supply from the Lynches River via the City of Florence Water Division. Water hardness in Florence measures 130 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Florence's moderate hardness reflects the South Carolina inner Coastal Plain watershed's calcareous-moderate geology. The Lynches River and Pee Dee River tributaries at Florence drain: the South Carolina Midlands and Sandhills (Eocene McBean Formation and Black Mingo Formation — moderately calcareous sandy limestone and marl of the inner South Carolina Coastal Plain); the Cretaceous Peedee Formation (moderately calcareous marine sand and calcareous marl of the South Carolina inner Coastal Plain). City of Florence's treatment produces the moderate 130 mg/L.
At 130 mg/L, Florence residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning with citric acid solution is recommended. City of Florence Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all South Carolina DHEC and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: River supply from the Lynches River and Pee Dee River watershed via the City of Florence Water Division — the Florence County east-central South Carolina Coastal Plain (Eocene–Cretaceous calcareous-moderate Coastal Plain sandy formations of the South Carolina inner Coastal Plain — the McBean and Black Mingo Formations); moderately hard supply at 130 mg/L in Florence County.