Franklin Park Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)

The Village of Franklin Park Water Department serves approximately 18,000 residents in Franklin Park, Cook County, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago. Water is purchased from the City of Chicago's Department of Water Management, sourced primarily from Lake Michigan via two intake cribs in the lake. Chicago operates four major treatment plants: Jardine Water Purification Plant, South Water Purification Plant, North Side Water Reclamation Plant (with filtration), and the smaller Albany Avenue facility. Franklin Park provides additional chloramination for distribution within its service area.

The Lake Michigan watershed spans the Great Lakes basin, with surface water influenced by glacial till and Paleozoic carbonate bedrock including Silurian dolomite and limestone outcrops. During treatment and conveyance, the supply contacts mineral-rich glacial drift and fractured dolomite aquifers through pipelines laid over limestone terrain of the Illinois Basin. Calcium and magnesium dissolve from these Devonian and Silurian carbonate formations, imparting a hard character to the finished water typical of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Very hard water promotes significant scale buildup in pipes, water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, and coffee makers, reducing efficiency and lifespan. White deposits on fixtures and reduced soap lathering are common. Regular vinegar descaling, installing scale inhibitors, or a water softener is strongly recommended. Chicago water typically has pH 7.5–8.5 and meets all EPA standards for lead and copper under LCR rules, with orthophosphate used for corrosion control. No notable PFAS exceedances have been reported in recent Consumer Confidence Reports; primary treatment includes coagulation, sedimentation, dual-media filtration, chlorine-then-ammonia disinfection, and fluoridation at 0.7 ppm.