Well Water in Franklin County: What to Test and Why

Your well draws water from old limestone and dolomite rock deep underground. This rock is broken by tiny cracks and fractures. Water seeps slowly through these openings to reach your well.

Arsenic, iron, manganese, and sulfate all come from the rock itself. As water sits in contact with these stone layers over time, it dissolves metals naturally locked inside. The rock here holds these elements, and the water picks them up.

Your water is very hard because limestone dissolves slowly into it. You will see white crusty buildup on faucets and inside pipes. Iron in the water stains sinks and laundry orange or brown, and a rotten-egg smell comes from sulfate.

Franklin County well water shows arsenic, lead, and manganese that exceed EPA health standards. Radon, iron, sulfate, fluoride, and chloride also exceed EPA thresholds. This is a serious situation that needs your attention right away. Your water is not in the safe range.

Long-term exposure to arsenic can harm your organs and increase cancer risk. Lead damages children's brains and nervous systems. Manganese can affect learning and behavior in young people. The extremely high levels of sodium, sulfate, and iron will stain your sinks and laundry orange-brown and create crusty buildup on pipes and fixtures. Your water may taste salty or metallic.

Get your well tested by a certified lab right away—a basic health screen runs $50–100, and a comprehensive mineral and metals panel runs $200–400. Ask the lab to test specifically for arsenic, lead, and manganese. A whole-house treatment system with reverse osmosis and arsenic removal can address these contaminants.