Which utility supplies your Cincinnati area home, how hard that water is, and how to keep shower glass, faucets and kettles clear of the chalky film it leaves.
Cincinnati water carries about 7 to 8 grains of hardness per gallon. That makes mineral film a slow problem: nothing crusts over in a week, but a glass shower door that is only rinsed can turn cloudy in a month or two, and the ring at the base of a faucet keeps growing until someone scrubs it.
How fast it builds depends on where the water comes from, and the Cincinnati area has several suppliers. This guide sorts them out and gives a cleaning routine that fits each.
Greater Cincinnati Water Works supplies all of the City of Cincinnati, most of Hamilton County and parts of Butler and Warren counties in Ohio and Boone County in Kentucky. About 88 percent of its water is treated Ohio River water from the Richard Miller Treatment Plant, and about 12 percent is groundwater from thirteen Great Miami Aquifer wells treated at the Charles M. Bolton plant.
The two plants produce slightly different water. Miller water averages 126 milligrams per liter of hardness, about 7 grains per gallon. Bolton water averages 140 milligrams per liter, about 8 grains per gallon. Either one is enough to spot glass and dull chrome when water is left to dry on it.
Mason used to treat its own water. In 2005 the Water Works closed the city's old treatment plant and began supplying Mason with softer water from the Miller plant, so Mason homes now see the same river water profile as much of the city.
Loveland is the exception. The city pumps its own drinking water from three wells about 85 feet deep in a sand and gravel aquifer at the BettyRay wellfield and treats it on site with chlorine and fluoride. Groundwater from a well field behaves differently from treated river water, so Loveland homeowners should judge their glass and fixtures by what they see rather than by city numbers.
In West Chester and Liberty townships, Butler County Water and Sewer buys treated water from two suppliers, the City of Hamilton, which provides groundwater, and the Water Works. The mix at any given tap depends on where in the system the home sits.
At 7 to 8 grains per gallon, minerals collect wherever water dries in place.
Squeegee or towel dry shower glass after each use; at 7 to 8 grains per gallon, that single habit does more than any product. Once a week, wipe faucets and spouts with a mild vinegar solution or a cleaner made for mineral film, then rinse and dry. Never use abrasive powders or scouring pads on glass, chrome or older porcelain.
For homes in the city's older districts, take extra care with original fixtures and tile. Many have been cleaned for decades and the finish is thinner than it looks. The older home guide covers gentle methods in more detail.
When film has built up for months, a One-Time Deep Clean treats shower glass for hard water spots and details faucets, and a recurring plan keeps it from coming back. See deep cleaning in Cincinnati.
Hardness is about minerals, not safety. A separate issue in older homes is the service line: the Water Works says Cincinnati began requiring copper water service pipes in 1928, so homes older than that can still have a lead line on private property. The utility is replacing those lines at no cost to customers, and it is worth checking your address with it if your home predates that year.
The questions Cincinnati homeowners ask most often about this topic, answered plainly.
TotalCare Cleaning will service Cincinnati and surrounding areas with background-checked cleaners and is insured up to $1 million. Re-clean guarantee: if we missed something, tell us by the end of the next day and we come back to fix it. Beyond Clean. TotalCare.
