Catawba County, NC

Water Treatment in Hickory, NC

Hickory homes on City of Hickory get soft, treated city water. Here's what's worth treating, and what isn't.

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Local water snapshot

City of Hickory

From its 2025 water quality report · read the full report

Water source: Surface water from Lake Hickory, part of the Catawba River; City of Hickory serves about 71,393 people.; City of Hickory (Public Utilities), 2025
Hardness: 16.3 mg/L; About 1 grains per gallon: soft by USGS classes. Highest single sample (2025).; City of Hickory (Public Utilities), 2025
Disinfectant: Free chlorine; City of Hickory (Public Utilities), 2025
TTHM (disinfection byproducts): 73 ppb; Highest running annual average (2025); federal limit 80 ppb.; City of Hickory (Public Utilities), 2025
HAA5 (disinfection byproducts): 31 ppb; Highest running annual average (2025); federal limit 60 ppb.; City of Hickory (Public Utilities), 2025
Lead (at sampled homes' taps): Not detected; Not detected (2025); 0 sampled homes above the action level. The federal action level is 15 ppb.; City of Hickory (Public Utilities), 2025
PFOA: Not detected; Not detected (2025). EPA's enforceable limit is 4.0 ppt.; City of Hickory (Public Utilities), 2025
PFOS: Not detected; Not detected (2025). EPA's enforceable limit is 4.0 ppt.; City of Hickory (Public Utilities), 2025
Violations: None; The 2025 report states there were no violations.; City of Hickory (Public Utilities), 2025

What this means for your home

Hickory is inside City of Hickory's service area on the state's water-system map.

At 16.3 mg/L (about 1 grains per gallon), City of Hickory water is soft. You very likely don't need a water softener.
City of Hickory disinfects with free chlorine. If you notice the taste or smell, NSF/ANSI 42 certified carbon reduces it.
Disinfection byproducts (TTHM) were 73 ppb against an 80 ppb limit. That's compliant; some households still prefer a margin, which NSF/ANSI 53 carbon or reverse osmosis provides.
46.6% of homes in Hickory were built before 1980. EPA notes homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead in their plumbing, so a certified-lab lead test at the tap is a sensible first step in an older home.

Recommended for Hickory homes

Based on the data above. Your own test results always come first.

Chlorine taste & odorCertified carbon at the kitchen tap or for the whole home.Drinking-water reverse osmosisNSF/ANSI 58 RO at the kitchen tap.Water testingCertified-lab lead and full-panel testing.Whole-home filtrationSediment plus catalytic carbon for the whole house.

How it works

Step 1
Test
We read your utility's report with you, and run a certified-lab test when your home calls for one.
Step 2
Design
You get a written recommendation and quote for only what the data supports.
Step 3
Licensed install
An independent licensed plumber installs under a separate agreement with you.
Step 4
Retest
We confirm the system is doing what it's certified to do.

Hickory at a glance

Population: 45,975; July 2025 estimate · U.S. Census Bureau, 2025
Households: 18,042; U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter), 2024
Owner-occupied homes: 55%; U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter), 2024
Median home value: $278,400; U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter), 2024
Homes built before 1980: 46.6%; U.S. Census Bureau (via Census Reporter), 2024

Hickory water questions

Who supplies water in Hickory?

Hickory is inside City of Hickory's service area on the state's water-system map. Its supply is surface water from lake hickory, part of the catawba river. EPA's registry lists it serving about 71,393 people.

Is Hickory water hard?

City of Hickory reported hardness of 16.3 mg/L in its 2025 report, which is soft by USGS classes. Most homes on it don't need a softener.

Does City of Hickory report PFAS?

PFOA and PFOS were not detected in the results it reported. EPA's enforceable limits for PFOA and PFOS are 4.0 parts per trillion; other proposed PFAS limits are under review.

Do homes in Catawba County use private wells?

Many homes outside town water lines do. In state testing of private wells in Catawba County, 2.81% of 1,567 private wells tested (44 wells) were above the 10 µg/L EPA drinking water standard (MCL) for arsenic. These figures describe the wells that were tested, not every well in the county.

How old are homes in Hickory, and does that matter for water?

Census estimates put 46.6% of Hickory homes as built before 1980. Lead usually comes from a home's own plumbing, not the utility, so in older homes a certified-lab lead test at the tap is the honest starting point.

Do you serve Hickory?

Yes. Hickory is about 73 minutes from our Charlotte base. Installation is performed by an independent, NC-licensed plumbing contractor under a separate agreement with you.

Do I need a permit to install a water treatment system?

Whole-house treatment is plumbing work in North Carolina. Your independent licensed plumber determines and pulls any permit Catawba County requires.

Nearby areas we serve

All of Catawba County Every county and town we serve Look up your water by ZIP

Get an honest answer about Hickory water.

Tell us about your home and water source. We'll recommend testing first, and only the equipment your results support.