Better water for Cincinnati homes — Ohio River clean meets RainSoft clean.

Yes — Greater Cincinnati Water Works consistently meets or exceeds every federal Safe Drinking Water Act standard, and Cincinnati water has won EPA "Best Drinking Water" recognition. That's a real distinction. It also doesn't mean there's nothing in the water: GCWW itself states finished water "may contain some contaminants, including lead, chromium-6, or disinfection byproducts," and the Environmental Working Group flags 13 contaminants above its stricter health guidelines. Whole-home filtration plus an under-sink RO covers the gap.

GCWW reports hardness averaging 127–133 mg/L at its two treatment plants, which translates to roughly 7–8 grains per gallon — moderately hard by USGS classification. That's enough hardness to leave visible scale on glassware, build up inside your water heater, dry out skin and hair, and shorten the lifespan of every water-using appliance.

About 88% of GCWW water comes from the Ohio River, treated at the Richard Miller Treatment Plant in California, Ohio — one of the most advanced municipal plants in the country, using granular activated carbon and ultraviolet disinfection. The other 12% comes from the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer, treated at the Charles M. Bolton Plant. Ohio EPA classifies the aquifer as "highly susceptible" to contamination because it lacks a protective clay layer overhead.

It depends on your specific home. GCWW has been replacing lead service lines under the federal Lead and Copper Rule, but if your home was built before 1986 — common in Hyde Park, Clifton, Norwood, College Hill, and parts of Anderson Township — your service line or interior plumbing may still contain lead. The single most reliable safeguard for drinking water is a point-of-use reverse osmosis system at the kitchen sink. We can test your specific kitchen tap for lead during the free in-home test.

GCWW tests for PFAS and current results in finished water are below the new federal MCLs that took effect in 2024. GCWW has been preparing PFAS treatment upgrades proactively. If you have well water rather than GCWW service, or live near a known firefighting-foam source, we recommend a dedicated PFAS-rated whole-home filter — the UltreFlo Protect reduces up to 98% of the five most-regulated PFAS compounds.

At 7–8 grains per gallon, Cincinnati water will leave scale on appliances and fixtures whether you "feel" the hardness or not. Most homeowners adjust to whatever water they've always had — the visible difference shows up on the dishwasher, the water heater bill, and the cleaning supplies budget. We'll test your specific home and show you the actual number. If hardness is low, we'll tell you that.

Cost depends on what your water actually needs. A softener-only install is one number; a softener plus whole-home filtration plus under-sink RO is another. We don't quote over the phone because we haven't tested your water yet. The free in-home test takes 30 minutes and you leave with real numbers and zero pressure.

Yes. The test is genuinely free whether you buy a system or not. Most Cincinnati homeowners have never seen real numbers for their own water before — and once they do, the conversation about what to do gets a lot simpler.

Yes. Pure H2O has been an Authorized RainSoft dealer serving Ohio homeowners since 1999. We sell the full RainSoft line — softeners, reverse osmosis drinking water systems, and air purification — and we're trained, certified, and supported directly by RainSoft.

Yes. As an Authorized RainSoft dealer we handle all RainSoft service, repair, and replacement parts. Same-week service is standard. If your RainSoft system was installed by a different dealer or is showing its age, we can take over service.

Yes. We serve Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties in Northern Kentucky — Florence, Covington, Newport, Independence, Erlanger, and surrounding areas. Same free in-home water test, same install crew, same warranty. No extra travel charge for NKY homes near our Reading Road office.

A typical whole-home water softener installation takes 2–4 hours. Our WQA Certified team handles all the plumbing, brine tank setup, system programming, and testing. Most customers have soft water flowing by the same evening.

All Pure H2O and RainSoft systems come with a Lifetime Limited Warranty on major components. We've been family-owned in Ohio since 1999, which means if you ever need warranty service, you'll always have a local team to call — not a 1-800 number with a two-week wait.

Yes. We offer financing on new system installs through trusted third-party lenders, with same-day approval in most cases. Ask about financing options when you schedule your free water test.

Our WQA Certified Water Specialists use EPA-approved test methods at your kitchen sink — the same standards used by municipal water labs. The free 30-minute in-home test covers hardness, chlorine, chloramine, TDS, iron, and visible indicators. For lead, PFAS, bacteria, or nitrates, we coordinate certified lab analysis through accredited third-party labs. You get the actual numbers in writing whether you buy a system or not — and you're welcome to take those numbers to any independent lab for verification.