Longview Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

City of Longview Water Utilities serves approximately 80,945 residents in Gregg County, East Texas. Water is sourced from three surface water bodies: Lake O' the Pines, Lake Cherokee, and the Sabine River. Raw water is treated at three purification plants with a combined capacity of up to 52 million gallons per day, employing conventional filtration, chloramines, chlorine dioxide, and ozone disinfection. Treated water is distributed through over 600 miles of lines to residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout the service area.

The supply originates in the upper Sabine River Basin, a 450-mile watershed draining northeast Texas into Louisiana. Lake Cherokee and Lake O' the Pines are man-made reservoirs impounded on tributaries amid rolling piney woods terrain underlain by Cretaceous chalk and limestone formations, including the Woodbine and Austin Chalk groups. These calcareous sedimentary rocks weather readily, leaching alkaline minerals into rainfall runoff and reservoir inflows — producing a moderately mineralised supply from prolonged contact with carbonate bedrock rather than deep aquifer softening.

At moderately hard levels, scale deposition strains water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines, reducing efficiency by up to 30% over time and shortening appliance life. Faucet aerators and showerheads clog with chalky buildup, and laundry feels stiff with poor soap lathering. Regular vinegar descaling, low-flow fixture installation, and annual heater flushing are recommended. A whole-home water softener is advised for households noticing spots on dishes, dry skin, or mineral films. Water quality complies with EPA standards; notable third-party concerns include 9 contaminants above health guidelines such as arsenic and chromium-6, though hardness poses no health risk. pH remains stable post-ozone/chloramine processing.