Sumter Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
4.4 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.5
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.002 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
129 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.20
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 Sumter, your appliances are currently losing 10% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Sumter | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 7.1 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -16% |
| Washing Machine | 10.8 yrs | 12 yrs | -10% |
| Water Heater | 12.6 yrs | 15 yrs | -16% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Sumter compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Sumter, South Carolina | 75 mg/L | 4.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Dentsville, South Carolina | 145 mg/L | 8 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Florence, South Carolina | 130 mg/L | 7.1 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
| Orangeburg, South Carolina | 74 mg/L | 4.1 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Columbia, South Carolina | 98.5 mg/L | 5.5 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Sumter compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Sumter | 75 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Sumter's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Sumter, South Carolina, the Sumter County seat — a major south-central South Carolina community, home of Shaw Air Force Base (US Air Force Central Command air operations headquarters — AFCENT), a significant agricultural community known for tomato growing and the 'Iris Festival' (one of the largest iris festivals in the US), and a diverse Sumter County community with a significant African-American heritage and proximity to the historically significant Sumter County Civil War–era sites — draws its municipal water supply from the Wateree River and Santee watershed via the City of Sumter Water Division. Water hardness in Sumter measures 75 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Sumter's moderate softness reflects the south-central South Carolina Coastal Plain supply characteristics. The Wateree River and Santee watershed at Sumter–Sumter County drain: the South Carolina Piedmont (Precambrian–Paleozoic calcareous-poor crystalline gneiss and schist of the South Carolina Piedmont Province — the Camden–Sumter Piedmont zone, calcareous-poor crystalline terrain); and the Cretaceous–Eocene Atlantic Coastal Plain (moderately calcareous calcareous sandy marine sediment of the South Carolina embayment). The City of Sumter's treatment produces the moderate 75 mg/L.
With hardness at 75 mg/L, Sumter residents enjoy moderately soft water. City of Sumter Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all South Carolina DHEC and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: River supply from the Wateree River (Sumter Area Water Division) and Santee–Cooper watershed via the Sumter–Shaw Water Division — the Sumter County south-central South Carolina Coastal Plain (Cretaceous–Eocene calcareous-moderate Coastal Plain formations and Paleozoic Piedmont calcareous-poor crystalline terrain of the upper Santee watershed); moderately soft supply at 75 mg/L in Sumter County.