How hard is the water in Kenton, OH?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 387 ppm (22.6 grains per gallon), classified as very hard. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 43326?

At 387 ppm, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale buildup and hard-water spotting. Treatment for hardness does not remove all health-related contaminants.

Local water dashboard

Official source aggregation

Water quality in Kenton, OH 43326

Q: Is tap water safe in Kenton?

EPA SDWIS shows no active health-based violation in this profile's reporting window. That is not the same as proving every contaminant is absent, and federal data can lag state and utility records.

A source-transparent look at local hardness, associated public water systems, EPA compliance history, and the measurements that are—and are not—available for Hardin County.

No active health-based violation reported

Primary matched system: Kenton City
Source water: Groundwater
County: Hardin County
Profile updated: May 15, 2026

At a glance

What the current records say

EPA quarter 2026Q2

Hardness

Very Hard

387 PPM · 22.6 GPG

Compliance screen

No active flag

0 active health-based records

Lead 90th percentile

7.0e-4 mg/L

5% of action level

Utility match

1 system

Serves 8,360 people system-wide

Hardness meter

How hard is the water?

Very Hard

Estimated local hardness

USGS hardness classification scale

387 PPM

Soft
0–59Moderate
60–120Hard
121–180Very hard
181+

Parts per million

387

mg/L as CaCO₃ equivalent

Grains per gallon

22.6

1 GPG ≈ 17.1 PPM

What this means at home

At 387 PPM, mineral scale can build up on fixtures and heating elements, reduce soap lather, and leave visible spotting. Hardness is primarily an aesthetic and appliance concern—not itself a tap-water safety rating.

USGS sites used

Nearest site

27.5 mi

Observation range

Jun 2, 2016–Aug 16, 2023

Estimate confidence

Low

Median of the latest qualifying hardness observation at each nearby monitoring site. Nearest monitoring location: LO-76 (Well).USGS source documentation ↗

Regional context

Is 43326 typical?

These comparisons use other indexed ZIP estimates, not utility tap samples. They help show local context without replacing a household test.

Kenton median

387 PPM

About the same

1 indexed ZIP readings · Range 387–387 PPM

Ohio median

226 PPM

161 PPM higher

162 indexed ZIP readings · Range 77.2–387 PPM

EPA benchmark screen

Contaminant snapshot

Available numerical results from associated SDWIS community water systems, compared with the applicable action level or federal MCL. Federal measured-value coverage is incomplete.

1 pass

Lead (PB90)

7.0e-4 mg/L

Reported Dec 31, 2025

Copper (CU90)

Not available

No numerical 90th-percentile result

Numerical coverage

1 comparable result

Missing values remain blank; absence is not treated as a pass.

Lead (90th percentile)

Measured in mg/L

Pass

Local 7.0e-4

EPA limit 0.015

Share of EPA benchmark

100% line = listed limit

EPA SDWIS compliance

Reported violation history

Open EPA source documentation ↗

2026Q2

All records: 6
Health-based: 1
Active health-based: 0

Contaminant or rule	System	Status	Period
Consumer Confidence Rule	OH3300612	Unaddressed	Jan 7, 2026
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS	OH3300612	Unaddressed	Jul 2, 2025
Consumer Confidence Rule	OH3300612	Unaddressed	Dec 30, 2024
Groundwater RuleHealth-based	OH3300612	Resolved	Oct 1, 2023through Dec 12, 2023
Consumer Confidence Rule	OH3300612	Unaddressed	Oct 18, 2021
Consumer Confidence Rule	OH3300612	Unaddressed	Feb 6, 2020

No reported violation does not prove that every contaminant was tested or absent; SDWIS measured values are incomplete and lag state records.

Solutions matcher

Your personalized water action plan

Matched to Kenton ZIP 43326 using 387 PPM nearby hardness and 1 reported measurement benchmarks.

1 match

Scale protection

High-Capacity Whole House Water Softener

387 PPM is 3× the high-hardness trigger used by this matcher.

Designed to reduce scale on fixtures, water heaters, glassware, and plumbing throughout the home.

Compare whole-house systems

Affiliate disclosure: we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases, at no added cost to you. Product matching is educational and does not replace certified water testing.

Frequently asked

Water questions for Kenton

Is tap water safe in Kenton?+

EPA ECHO shows no active health-based violation for the associated systems in this reporting snapshot. This does not prove every contaminant is absent; federal records can lag and household plumbing can change tap conditions.

How hard is the water?+

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 387 PPM, or 22.6 grains per gallon, classified as very hard. This is not a household tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener?+

At 387 PPM, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale and hard-water spotting. It does not replace contaminant filtration.