Is Franklin, WI tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for Franklin Water Utility.
3 public water systems serve parts of Franklin. The largest, Franklin Water Utility, serves 22,500 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
Franklin Water Utility
22,500 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID WI2410563
Buys treated water from Oak Creek Waterworks.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 3 ppb at the 90th percentile (Sep 2023, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Wisconsin, 18 of 196 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 4 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Wisconsin results.
Franklin homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Franklin city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Franklin
- Franklin MHP118 people · Groundwater · Wisconsin · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sample
- Meadows Condominiums Association Ltd50 people · Groundwater · Wisconsin · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sample
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Oak Creek 6 mi Oak Creek Waterworks | None above limits | 2 ppb |
| Muskego 6 mi Muskego Water Utility | None above limits | 3.89 ppb |
| New Berlin 9 mi New Berlin Water Utility | None above limits | 0.33 ppb |
| West Allis 9 mi West Allis Waterworks | None above limits | 2.4 ppb |
| Caledonia 9 mi Village of Caledonia Water Utility | None above limits | 3.3 ppb |
| Wauwatosa 12 mi Wauwatosa Waterworks | None above limits | 8.4 ppb |
Franklin ZIP codes (1)
- 53132
Questions
Is Franklin tap water safe to drink?
Franklin Water Utility has had no health-based violations since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Franklin, WI?
3 public water systems serve parts of Franklin. The largest is Franklin Water Utility (22,500 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Franklin tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. Franklin Water Utility had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Franklin homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 34% of Franklin homes as built before 1980 (Wisconsin: 57%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. Franklin Water Utility's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.