Updated

Louisville has been drinking the Ohio River since 1860

Louisville Water opened in 1860 with 512 customers. It now pumps an average of 138 million gallons a day to nearly one million people in Louisville Metro and parts of Bullitt, Hardin, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby and Spencer counties. It sells the water under its own name, Louisville Pure Tap.

Two plants, two ways to use one river

Most of the water comes from the Crescent Hill Water Treatment Plant, which pumps directly from the Ohio River and treats it conventionally. The B.E. Payne plant in eastern Jefferson County draws groundwater from the aquifer beside the river through riverbank filtration, using the riverbed's own sand and gravel as a first filter. Louisville Water says it's one of only three systems in North America to hold the highest honor for maintaining outstanding quality at both its plants and its pipe network.

What's in finished water

Averages across both plants' finished water in 2025:

Louisville disinfects with chloramines (running annual average 2.69 ppm). The highest locational running annual averages for byproducts were 30.3 ppb for TTHM (limit 80) and 22.4 ppb for HAA5 (limit 60). At 7.5 gpg, a softener is optional. To weigh the running cost before you buy, try the softener salt cost calculator.

PFAS in a long industrial river

The Ohio River collects runoff and discharges from several states. Louisville Water has spent years on PFAS research, increased its monitoring at both plants to track seasonal swings, and works with other agencies across the Ohio River basin. That research found powdered activated carbon (PAC) to be the most practical way to remove PFAS and other organic matter. Compliance averages: PFOA 1.9 ppt at one plant and 0 at the other (limit 4.0), and 0 for PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX).

Lead: the private side of the line

Tap results are low. In the latest round, the lead 90th percentile was 1.1 ppb, the highest single result 4.2 ppb, and no home was above the action level. Copper's 90th percentile was 0.041 ppm. The larger issue is uncertainty. Louisville Water installs the pipe from the main to the meter, and the owner owns the line from the meter to the house. Nearly 50,000 of those private lines are listed as unknown material.

The Find and Fix program is how the utility is closing that gap. A $32 million state revolving loan, $10 million of it forgivable, paid for contractors who started in west Louisville neighborhoods identifying the material of thousands of private lines. Look up your address in the inventory. If it's unknown, the utility walks you through checking the pipe where it enters your home. While you wait, run the tap, shower or do a load of laundry to flush pipes after water has sat. An NSF/ANSI 53 filter is a sensible extra step, and our filter selector can narrow down the choices.

Louisville Pure Tap FAQ

What is riverbank filtration?

Instead of pumping water straight from the Ohio River, the B.E. Payne plant collects groundwater from the aquifer beside the river. River water seeps through sand and gravel on its way to the collector wells, which filters it naturally before conventional treatment.

How hard is Louisville water?

Moderately hard. The 2025 average across both plants was 128 ppm (7.5 grains per gallon), with calcium at 31 ppm and magnesium at 13 ppm. Some households soften. Many just descale fixtures now and then.

How do I find out whether my service line is lead?

Check Louisville Water's online inventory at LouisvilleWater.com/inventory. If your record says "unknown", follow the steps there to identify your pipe and update the record. Homes built before about 1950 are the most likely to have a lead or galvanized line.

Is there PFAS in Louisville water?

At very low levels. In compliance data, PFOA averaged 1.9 ppt at one plant and 0 at the other, under the 4.0 ppt federal limit. PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA and GenX were 0. Louisville Water uses powdered activated carbon to reduce PFAS and other organic matter.

Cited documents

Reviewed November 1, 2026 against the sources above. Public water system ID KY0560258 (Louisville Water Company). Figures describe the utility's system, not your home's plumbing; a certified lab test tells you what comes out of your tap. Spot an error? Tell us.