Franklin Water Hardness & Quality Report (2026)
Water Hardness
5.4 grains per gallon
Source
reservoir
pH Level
7.7
neutral = 7.0
Lead
0.007 mg/L
✓ Below action level
TDS
214.3 mg/L
Est. Daily Cost
$0.25
energy & soap waste
Source: USGS Water Quality Portal · Updated 2026
0–60
mg/L
Soft
61–120
mg/L
Moderately Hard
121–180
mg/L
Hard
180+
mg/L
Very Hard
Appliance Damage Report
In Franklin, your appliances are currently losing 12% efficiency due to mineral buildup.
| Appliance | In Franklin | Soft Water City | Efficiency Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kettle | 6.6 yrs | 8.5 yrs | -22% |
| Washing Machine | 10.2 yrs | 12 yrs | -15% |
| Water Heater | 11.9 yrs | 15 yrs | -21% |
Regional Water Comparison
How Franklin compares to its nearest neighbours
| City | Hardness | PFAS (ppt) | Risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ Franklin, Massachusetts | 92 mg/L | 9.5 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Medway, Massachusetts | 35 mg/L | 5.5 ppt | 🟢 Soft | reservoir |
| Holliston, Massachusetts | 85 mg/L | 9 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| Cumberland, Rhode Island | 75 mg/L | 9.9 ppt | 🟡 Moderately Hard | reservoir |
| North Attleborough Center, Massachusetts | 123.5 mg/L | 11.7 ppt | 🟠 Hard | reservoir |
National Benchmark
How Franklin compares to the USA average
| Benchmark | Hardness | Appliance Risk |
|---|---|---|
| ▶ Franklin | 92 mg/L | 🟡 Low |
| USA National Avg | 150 mg/L | 🟠 Moderate |
| Badger Top Rated | 8.5 mg/L | 🟢 None |
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What Makes Franklin's Water Unique?
Local geology and source profile
Franklin, Massachusetts, in Norfolk County — a major south Massachusetts MetroWest community (Franklin is a significant Norfolk County town — one of the growing south Massachusetts suburban communities along I-495; Franklin is notable as the first place in the United States to have a public library — in 1778, Benjamin Franklin donated a crate of books to the town of Franklin (named after him) as its first public library, making it the oldest continuously operating public library in the United States), home of Dean College (a significant two-year and four-year liberal arts college in Franklin), a diverse Norfolk County community with a primarily working-class and middle-class suburban population, adjacent to Wrentham and Milford in the south Norfolk County MetroWest corridor, and a community with significant retail development (Wrentham Village Premium Outlets is adjacent to the Franklin–Wrentham border) — draws its municipal water supply via the Franklin Water Division. Water hardness in Franklin measures 92 mg/L — classified as moderately soft.
Franklin's moderate softness reflects the south Massachusetts Norfolk County watershed's calcareous-poor crystalline geology. The Mine Brook watershed drains the Precambrian Dedham Granite (calcareous-poor crystalline). Franklin Water Division produces the moderately soft 92 mg/L.
With hardness at 92 mg/L, Franklin residents enjoy moderately soft water. Franklin Water Division consistently delivers water meeting all Massachusetts DEP and EPA Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.
Geology & Source: Reservoir supply from the Mine Brook Reservoir and local groundwater via the Franklin Water Division — the Norfolk County south Massachusetts MetroWest Franklin corridor (Precambrian calcareous-poor Dedham Granite and Triassic calcareous-poor Hartford Basin arkose — the calcareous-poor south Massachusetts crystalline granite–arkose watershed; effective treatment); moderately soft supply at 92 mg/L in Norfolk County.