How does Myrtle Beach's water compare to the national average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. Myrtle Beach (≈ 120–179 mg/L) is 1 mg/L softer than average.

Myrtle Beach Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

Water Hardness

hard

~120–179 mg/L

Hard

estimated · not lab-verified

Source

reservoir

pH Level

7.8

neutral = 7.0

Lead

0.006 mg/L

✓ Below action level

TDS

261.8 mg/L

Est. Daily Cost

$0.40

energy & soap waste

Source: See methodology section below · Updated 2026

hard~120–179 mg/LHard · est.

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 Myrtle Beach, your appliances are currently losing 20% efficiency due to mineral buildup.

Appliance	In Myrtle Beach	Soft Water City	Efficiency Loss
Kettle	6.8 yrs	8.5 yrs	-20%
Washing Machine	9.6 yrs	12 yrs	-20%
Water Heater	12 yrs	15 yrs	-20%

Regional Water Comparison

How Myrtle Beach compares to its nearest neighbours

City	Hardness	PFAS (ppt)	Risk	Source
▶ Myrtle Beach, South Carolina	≈ 120–179 mg/L	53.7 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir
Socastee, South Carolina	≈ 0–60 mg/L	5.9 ppt	🟢 Soft	reservoir
Red Hill, South Carolina	≈ 0–60 mg/L	3.5 ppt	🟢 Soft	reservoir
Conway, South Carolina	≈ 120–179 mg/L	365.8 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir
North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina	≈ 120–179 mg/L	231.3 ppt	🟠 Hard	reservoir

National Benchmark

How Myrtle Beach compares to the USA average

Benchmark	Hardness	Appliance Risk
▶ Myrtle Beach	≈ 120–179 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
USA National Avg	151 mg/L	🟠 Moderate
Scarsdale Top Rated	0.02 mg/L	🟢 None

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What Makes Myrtle Beach's Water Unique?

Local geology and source profile

Source: ReservoirTDS: 261.8 mg/LpH: 7.8

Grand Strand Water & Sewer Authority (GSWSA) supplies water to Myrtle Beach and surrounding Horry County areas, including North Myrtle Beach. Primary sources are surface water from the Myrtle Beach Surface Water Treatment Facility, drawing from the Intracoastal Waterway and Waccamaw River watershed, blended with water from the Bull Creek Regional Treatment Facility, and supplemented by groundwater from local wells. GSWSA treats water through coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection.

The watershed encompasses the Lower Pee Dee River basin and Waccamaw River, draining pine flatwoods, wetlands, and coastal areas of South Carolina's Atlantic Coastal Plain. The region features Quaternary sands overlying Tertiary coastal plain sediments including the Socastee Formation, with minor limestone lenses. Dissolution of carbonates in shallow aquifers and surface flow over sedimentary soils imparts a moderately mineralised character without extreme hardness.

Moderately hard water promotes moderate scale buildup in appliances like water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines, reducing efficiency and leaving spots on glassware. Boilers and coffee makers may require more frequent descaling with vinegar solutions. A water softener may be worth considering for households with high usage or aesthetic concerns. GSWSA's 2024 Consumer Confidence Reports confirm compliance with EPA standards for pH, lead, copper, and no PFAS exceedances; disinfection uses chlorination and occasional chloramines with trihalomethanes below MCLs.

Geology & Source: Atlantic Coastal Plain — Tertiary Black Creek and Socastee Formations; unconsolidated sands, clays, and limestone lenses from Miocene-Pliocene epochs; carbonate and shell-fragment dissolution produces moderately mineralised water

Other South Carolina Water Reports

Socastee

≈ 0–60 mg/L

🟢 Soft

Red Hill

≈ 0–60 mg/L

🟢 Soft

Conway

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

North Myrtle Beach

≈ 120–179 mg/L

🟠 Hard

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All reports are reviewed by our team. Thank you for supporting data quality!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Myrtle Beach's water safe to drink?

Yes. Myrtle Beach's water meets all federal safety standards. The hardness is ≈ 120–179 mg/L (Hard), which is safe to drink. High hardness affects appliances and taste, but poses no health risk.

Do I need a water softener in Myrtle Beach?

At ≈ 120–179 mg/L (Hard), Myrtle Beach's water will cause significant limescale on kettles, washing machines, and water heaters. A water softener or descaler is strongly recommended to extend appliance lifespan and reduce energy bills by up to 20%.

How does Myrtle Beach compare to the USA average?

The USA national average is 151 mg/L. Myrtle Beach (≈ 120–179 mg/L) is 1 mg/L below the national average. The softest major city is Scarsdale at just 0.02 mg/L.

Data Sources & Methodology

Water quality data for Myrtle Beach is derived from geographic and geological modelling of the surrounding region. No federal monitoring station data was available for this location.

Estimated

Water Hardness

Modelled estimate based on state-level USGS geological survey data for this region. No direct USGS Water Quality Portal measurement was matched to this city — the value reflects a statistical range calibrated to the state's dominant rock types and typical source water characteristics.

Estimated

Estimated from regional geology and source water characteristics. pH is correlated with water hardness and local bedrock — values may differ from utility-reported figures.

Estimated

TDS — Total Dissolved Solids

Estimated using a derived ratio from water hardness and regional conductance profiles. TDS in natural water correlates strongly with total mineral content including hardness ions.

Measured

PFAS — Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

EPA UCMR5 (5th Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 2023–2025) — sum of PFAS compounds detected at the public water system serving this city. A value of 0 indicates the system was sampled with no detection above reporting limits.

Modelled

Lead

Modelled estimate based on the EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile tap-sample methodology. No publicly available per-city lead dataset with sufficient national coverage exists. Values are a conservative baseline derived from city population tier and infrastructure age — all estimates are maintained below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.

Calculated

Appliance Lifespan

Calculated from water hardness using a linear degradation model. Baseline lifespans represent soft-water performance (kettle: 8.5 yrs, washing machine: 12.0 yrs, water heater: 15.0 yrs). Hard water mineral scale progressively reduces operational life in direct proportion to hardness concentration.