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Community Water System · PWS ME0090570

Franklin Water Department

Franklin, Maine 04634 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 443 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

443
People served
104
EPA violations
7
Health-based
4 PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 104 drinking-water violations at Franklin Water Department, 7% of them health-based - above the Maine per-system average, and UCMR5 testing detected 4 PFAS compounds.

104
Total EPA violations on record
7%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
443
People served by this system
4
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: Franklin Water Department

Franklin Water Department is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 443 residents in Franklin, Maine (Hancock County) through 177 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 104 total violations for this system , of which 7 (7%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 85 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2023.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Lead and Copper Rule, recorded in 20 violations (MR). Under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program, 4 PFAS compounds were detected in samples collected from this system, with a maximum reported concentration of 10.2 ppt (parts per trillion). PFAS are persistent synthetic chemicals linked to health effects at very low exposure levels.

Across Maine, EPA tracks 1,864 public water systems serving 936,624 people, with 148,796 cumulative violations and 23,741 health-based violations on record. About 94% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 79.8 violations. Statewide, 14 of 41 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (34.1%).

Franklin Water Department's 104 violations sit above the Maine average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

PFAS Detected

4 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Population Served
443
Total Violations
104
Health-Based Violations
7
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
177
County
Hancock
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
0
Monitoring Violations
85
Treatment Tech Violations
7

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Lead and Copper Rule MR 20 2022
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 9 2023
Lead and Copper Rule TT 7 2000
Coliform (TCR) MR 6 1995
Asbestos MR 4 2012
Combined Radium (-226 and -228) MR 4 2015
Diquat MR 4 2015
Endothall MR 4 2015
Nitrate MR 3 1995
Xylenes, Total MR 2 1998
o-Dichlorobenzene MR 2 1998
p-Dichlorobenzene MR 2 1998
Vinyl chloride MR 2 1998
Carbon tetrachloride MR 2 1998
1,2-Dichloropropane MR 2 1998
Trichloroethylene MR 2 1998
1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 2 1998
Toluene MR 2 1998
Ethylbenzene MR 2 1998
Tetrachloroethylene MR 2 1998
1,1-Dichloroethylene MR 2 1998
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 2 1998
1,1,1-Trichloroethane MR 2 1998
1,2-Dichloroethane MR 2 1998
Benzene MR 2 1998
Styrene MR 2 1998
CHLOROBENZENE MR 2 1998
DICHLOROMETHANE MR 2 1998
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene MR 1 1998
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene MR 1 1998

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 5 of 58 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
NMeFOSAA 8/21/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 8/21/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 8/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 8/21/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 2/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 2/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 2/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 2/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 2/21/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 2/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 2/21/2023 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 2/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 2/21/2023 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 2/21/2023 6.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
HFPO-DA 2/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 2/21/2023 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 2/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 2/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 2/21/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 2/21/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 2/21/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 2/21/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 2/21/2023 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 2/21/2023 3.30 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFMBA 10/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 10/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 10/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 10/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 10/25/2023 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 10/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 10/25/2023 4.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Detected
PFMPA 10/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 10/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 10/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 10/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 10/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 10/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 10/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 10/25/2023 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 10/25/2023 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 10/25/2023 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for Franklin Water Department.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID ME0090570 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Maine Drinking Water Authority

Maine's primacy agency administers the Safe Drinking Water Act locally. Search EPA SDWIS for the current state contact, or use the state's public health or environment department portal.

Find ME regulator via EPA SDWIS

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2023 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 9 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 7000
2022 Lead and Copper Rule MR 20 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 5000
2015 Combined Radium (-226 and -228) MR 4 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 4010
2015 Diquat MR 4 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2032
2015 Endothall MR 4 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2033
2012 Asbestos MR 4 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 1094
2000 Lead and Copper Rule TT 7 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 5000
1998 Xylenes, Total MR 2 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2955
1998 o-Dichlorobenzene MR 2 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2968
1998 p-Dichlorobenzene MR 2 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2969
1998 Vinyl chloride MR 2 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2976
1998 Carbon tetrachloride MR 2 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2982
1998 1,2-Dichloropropane MR 2 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2983
1998 Trichloroethylene MR 2 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2984
1998 1,1,2-Trichloroethane MR 2 SDWIS / ME0090570 / 2985

How Franklin Water Department Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric Franklin Water Department Maine avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 104 79.8 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 7 12.7 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection 4 compounds 34.1% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 443 502 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 1,864 regulated public water systems in Maine.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Franklin Water Department water safe to drink? ▼
Franklin Water Department (PWS ID: ME0090570) has 104 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 4 PFAS compounds found. This system serves 443 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does Franklin Water Department serve? ▼
Franklin Water Department serves 443 people in Franklin, Maine. It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 177 service connections.
What type of violations does Franklin Water Department have? ▼
Franklin Water Department has 104 total violations: 7 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 85 monitoring/reporting violations, and 7 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in Franklin Water Department water? ▼
Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 4 PFAS compounds in Franklin Water Department's water supply: PFHxA, PFHxS, PFPeA, PFBA. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.
What water source does Franklin Water Department use? ▼
Franklin Water Department uses Groundwater as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from? ▼
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.