Florence city water had no violations flagged in the city’s 2024 water quality report. For most homes, a filter is a choice about taste, smell, a few treatment byproducts and your own pipes. Quality Service Company, LLC in Florence, SC can help you choose the right filter, or tell you if you may not need one.
What is in Florence city water?
The city’s main source is the McQueen Branch Aquifer. Most of the water comes from wells. The rest comes from the Frank E. Willis Pee Dee River Regional Surface Water Plant. The system serves about 79,745 people.
Here is what the 2024 report lists for the things homeowners ask about most. “ppm” means parts per million, and “ppb” means parts per billion.
- Chlorine: 0.87 ppm on average. It is the disinfectant. No chloramine was reported.
- Fluoride: 1.25 ppm, added by the city.
- Sodium and nitrate: 26.0 ppm sodium and 0.78 ppm nitrate.
- Lead: 1.1 ppb at the 90th percentile. No sites were over the action level.
- Copper: 0.39 ppm at the 90th percentile. One site was over 1.3 ppm. The system as a whole did not exceed the limit.
- Treatment byproducts: TTHMs at 74 ppb as a running average, against a limit of 80. Single samples ranged up to 91.5 ppb. HAA5 at 18 ppb, against a limit of 60.
The report gives no figures for hardness, iron or PFAS. If those matter to you, testing your own tap is the way to find out.
Timmonsville has received its water from the City of Florence since 2013. Hartsville runs its own city water system.
Why does my tap water taste like chlorine?
Chlorine keeps germs out of the water as it travels through the city’s pipes. Some people can taste or smell it.
An activated carbon filter reduces chlorine taste and smell. Pitchers, faucet filters and under-sink units all use carbon.
What are TTHMs, and should I filter for them?
TTHMs and HAA5 are byproducts. They form when chlorine meets natural organic matter in the water.
Florence’s TTHM average of 74 ppb is under the 80 ppb limit. No violation was flagged. Some households still choose to reduce them. If you do, look for a carbon filter certified to reduce TTHMs.
Can my home’s plumbing change my water?
Yes. Lead and copper can come from a home’s own plumbing, not only from the plant. That is how one home can test high while the system passes.
Census data shows that nearly half of homes in the City of Florence were built before 1980. Older plumbing is common in homes this age.
- If water has sat in the pipes for hours, run the cold tap until it feels colder.
- Use cold water, not hot, for drinking and cooking.
- For lead, look for a filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction.
Which kind of filter fits my home?
It depends on what you want to change, and at which taps. These are the common types:
- Pitcher or faucet filter. Uses carbon. Improves taste and smell for small amounts of water.
- Under-sink carbon filter. Filters the kitchen tap you drink and cook from.
- Under-sink reverse osmosis. Pushes water through a fine membrane. It reduces more, including fluoride, sodium and nitrate. It is slower and sends some water down the drain.
- Whole-home system. Treats water at the main line, so every tap, shower and appliance gets it. See our whole-home water systems for Florence homes.
- Water softener. Treats hardness, which shows up as scale and spots. It only makes sense if a test shows hard water. Read about water softener installation.
Whatever you choose, check that it carries NSF/ANSI certification for what you want removed. Change cartridges on schedule, because a worn-out filter stops working.
What if my home is on a private well?
A city water report covers city water only. A private well is tested only when its owner has it tested.
If your home runs on a well, have the water tested before you buy treatment. The results show what a system needs to handle.
Does a filter help during a boil water advisory?
Most home filters do not. Carbon filters target taste and chemicals, not germs. Follow the city’s advisory, filter or not.
Florence has had system-wide boil advisories before. On Christmas Day 2022, a main break and leaks cost the city at least 20 million gallons. In August 2024, river flooding from Debby shut the city’s water plant.
What happens when I call about my water?
Your tech will ask what is bothering you. It might be taste, smell, stains, or worry about older pipes. Then they will check your water source and plumbing and walk you through the options.
There is a fee for the first visit. Your tech will price any work before starting. Learn more about water treatment for Pee Dee homes.
Common questions
Does a carbon filter remove fluoride?
Most carbon filters do not remove much fluoride. Florence adds fluoride to city water, and its 2024 report lists 1.25 ppm. If you want less fluoride at the tap, the usual choice is an under-sink reverse osmosis system. Check that the product is certified for fluoride before you buy it.
Is Florence tap water hard?
Florence’s 2024 water quality report does not list a hardness figure. The city blends well water and river water. Signs of hard water include white scale on faucets, spots on glasses and buildup in a water heater. A test of your own tap shows whether a softener makes sense for your home.
Should I filter the whole house or just the kitchen tap?
Start with what you want to change. If you only care about how your drinking water tastes, a kitchen filter usually covers it. If you want treated water at every shower and appliance, a whole-home system treats it at the main line. Some homes use both: whole-home treatment plus reverse osmosis at the sink.
Is filtered tap water a good alternative to bottled water?
For many households, yes. A filter at the kitchen sink gives you clean-tasting water without buying and hauling cases. Pick one certified for what you want removed, and change the cartridge on schedule. During a boil water advisory, follow the city’s instructions, whether you use filtered or bottled water.
Questions about your water? Call (843) 920-2004 or book online.