Cheney Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The City of Cheney Water Division manages the municipal water system for Cheney, Washington, in Spokane County. This utility operates several groundwater wells, including Well 5, which provides drinking water to the community. The system encompasses all aspects of water production, distribution, and storage across the city. Cheney's water originates from the Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie aquifer, a significant regional groundwater source. This extensive aquifer system is composed of Quaternary-age glacial outwash deposits and alluvial materials, sitting atop older Precambrian and Paleozoic bedrock. The unique geological makeup of this aquifer shapes the water's chemistry and mineral content, a characteristic common to glacial aquifer systems found in the Pacific Northwest.

The Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie aquifer is a vast underground reservoir formed from glacial sediments and alluvial deposits. These materials rest on much older Precambrian and Paleozoic bedrock. This geological layering, particularly the presence of glacial outwash and underlying basaltic formations, results in water with a moderate mineral content. The water picks up these dissolved minerals as it percolates through the various layers of sediment and rock within the aquifer system before being drawn up by the city's wells.

Homeowners might notice some buildup on fixtures or reduced lathering from soaps. If you're finding scale on faucets or within appliances, it may be beneficial to test your water. Using a home hardness test kit or sending a sample to a professional lab can help determine if a water softener would be a good investment for your household. While specific hardness levels weren't readily available, the water is known to contain moderate mineral content. The City of Cheney also monitors for contaminants like PFAS, with Well 5 showing levels well below federal advisory limits.