Groundwater in Franklin County contains iron, manganese, arsenic, lead, nitrate, chloride, sulfate, and PFOA. Several of these contaminants exceed EPA health standards, making this a serious concern that requires testing and attention.
These contaminants come from the rock layers below the county. Iron, manganese, and arsenic dissolve naturally as groundwater moves slowly through cracks in the limestone and shale. Arsenic and lead hide in certain layers of bedrock. Nitrate, chloride, and sulfate come partly from minerals in the rock and partly from urban and agricultural land use above.
Groundwater in Franklin County is very hard, driven by elevated calcium and magnesium that dissolve from the limestone below. The water also carries very high iron and moderate sulfate. Most wells in the county show these same characteristics.
Wells in Franklin County commonly exceed EPA health standards for arsenic, lead, nitrate, and PFOA. Arsenic builds up in your body over years and can damage your kidneys and increase cancer risk. Lead harms children's brain development and nervous system function. Nitrate is especially dangerous for infants and can interfere with how blood carries oxygen. PFOA is a synthetic chemical linked to health problems including high cholesterol and kidney disease.
County wells are extremely hard and contain very high iron and manganese. Iron causes orange-brown staining on sinks, toilets, and laundry. Manganese creates dark brown stains and can give water a metallic taste. The extreme hardness leaves thick white scale buildup on pipes and fixtures. This level of hardness can shorten the lifespan of water heaters and dishwashers by years. Sulfate at elevated levels can give water a bitter or medicinal taste.
We recommend testing your well with a comprehensive metals and minerals panel because every well is different and yours may have higher or lower levels than what is common in the county. Testing is the only way to know what is actually in your water so it can be properly treated. A basic health screen costs around fifty to one hundred dollars, while a comprehensive panel runs two hundred to four hundred dollars. Treatment options like water softeners combined with arsenic removal systems and iron filters can address multiple concerns.
Not sure if your well is affected? Get certified results in 5–7 days.
Test Your Well Water with Tap Score →| Contaminant | Samples ⓘ | % Above MCL ⓘ | Distribution ⓘ | Confidence ⓘ | Risk ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 653 | 89% | High | High | |
| Manganese | 652 | 69% | High | High | |
| Arsenic | 268 | 29% | High | High | |
| Sulfate | 484 | 18% | High | High | |
| Lead | 558 | 9% | High | Moderate | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 51 | 8% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Nitrate | 290 | 1% | High | Low | |
| Chloride | 654 | 1% | High | Low | |
| Fluoride | 621 | 0% | High | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 50 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Nitrite | 301 | 0% | High | Low | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 50 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 51 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 50 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Radon | 3 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Uranium | 3 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| Sodium | 652 | — | High | Low | |
| pH | 619 | — | High | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 50 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| Hardness | 628 | — | High | Low |
MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level (EPA limit for public water; used as benchmark for private wells). Distribution shows % of sampled wells in each concentration band. Methodology.
* Microbial contaminants (E. coli, coliform) reflect only samples from the last 10 years.
Data shows potential risk — a certified test confirms whether your water is affected.
Order a Tap Score Test →Population-level CDC data. Not individual risk prediction.
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