Well owners in Franklin County should be aware of iron, manganese, and nitrate in their groundwater. These contaminants exceed EPA health standards, and the iron and manganese are at moderate levels that warrant attention.
Iron and manganese dissolve naturally from the rock layers beneath the county as water moves slowly underground. Nitrate comes from human activities on the land, primarily agriculture and old septic systems that leak into the groundwater over time.
Groundwater in Franklin County is soft, with moderate iron being the main mineral character of the water. The iron concentration reflects natural leaching from the local rock formations, and this pattern appears across many wells throughout the county.
Wells in Franklin County contain iron, manganese, and nitrate at levels that exceed EPA health standards. Iron and manganese can harm your nervous system and organs with long-term exposure. Nitrate is especially dangerous for infants and can interfere with how blood carries oxygen. These contaminants come from natural sources in the ground, not from pollution or human activity.
The water in this county is soft, which is good news for scale buildup. However, iron and manganese can stain clothes, dishes, and plumbing fixtures with rust-colored or brown marks that are hard to remove. You might also notice a metallic or unpleasant taste in the water. These stains are mainly a cosmetic problem, but they can build up in pipes and fixtures over time.
Testing is the only way to know what is actually in your well, since every well is different and yours could have higher or lower levels than what is common in the county. We recommend a comprehensive metals and minerals panel, which typically costs between two hundred and four hundred dollars. Iron and manganese can be removed with specialized filters or other treatment systems designed for your specific water chemistry.
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 | 34 | 18% | Moderate | High | |
| Nitrate | 30 | 13% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Manganese | 17 | 12% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Arsenic | 13 | 0% | Low | Safe | |
| Chloride | 30 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| Fluoride | 92 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Lead | 13 | 0% | Low | Low | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 8 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Sulfate | 29 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| Uranium | 3 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Hardness | 29 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 8 | — | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| pH | 30 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| Sodium | 29 | — | Moderate | 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.
Loading recent water news…