Hilton Head Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
8.7 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
8.1
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.009 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
389.9 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.40
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 Hilton Head, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Hilton Head | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 4.7 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -45% |
| Washing Machine | 8.1 yrs | 12 yrs | -33% |
| Water Heater | 9.7 yrs | 15 yrs | -35% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Hilton Head compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Hilton Head, South Carolina | 148.5 mg/L | 8.2 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | 148.5 mg/L | 8.2 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Bluffton, South Carolina | 58.5 mg/L | 3.3 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Beaufort, South Carolina | 102 mg/L | 5.6 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Wilmington Island, Georgia | 86.5 mg/L | 4.2 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Hilton Head compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Hilton Head | 148.5 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Hilton Head's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, in Beaufort County — a premier barrier island resort community (Hilton Head Island is one of the most visited resort islands on the US East Coast — a major destination for golf, tennis, beach, and nature tourism, home of Harbour Town Golf Links, host of the RBC Heritage PGA Tour event), a community of planned residential 'plantations' (gated resort communities throughout the island — Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Port Royal), a diverse Beaufort County community balancing resort tourism with a significant Gullah-Geechee African-American heritage community and a large Latino-American workforce, and a major Lowcountry South Carolina destination — draws its municipal water supply from the Hilton Head Artesian Aquifer via the BJWSA. Water hardness in Hilton Head measures 148.5 mg/L — classified as moderately hard.
Hilton Head's moderate hardness reflects the South Carolina Coastal Plain Tertiary carbonate aquifer geology. The Hilton Head Artesian Aquifer (the southern South Carolina equivalent of the Floridan Aquifer System) draws from the Eocene Cooper Formation (calcareous marine limestone and marl — the South Carolina Coastal Plain Eocene carbonate) and the Oligocene Suwannee Limestone equivalent. BJWSA applies treatment to produce the moderate 148.5 mg/L.
At 148.5 mg/L, Hilton Head residents encounter moderate scale accumulation. Monthly cleaning with citric acid solution is recommended. BJWSA consistently delivers water meeting all South Carolina DHEC and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Groundwater from the Hilton Head Artesian Aquifer (Floridan Aquifer System Upper equivalent) via the Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA) — the Beaufort County southeast South Carolina Atlantic barrier island (Eocene–Oligocene calcareous Cooper Formation limestone — the South Carolina Coastal Plain Tertiary carbonate aquifer; BJWSA treatment with softening); moderately hard supply at 148.5 mg/L in Beaufort County.