Public water system · MA2101000
ActiveFranklin Water Department
At a glance
Franklin Water Department (PWSID MA2101000) is an active community water system in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 33,706 people through 9,633 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2017.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
33,706
Service connections
9,633
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Franklin Water Department compare with other water systems in Norfolk County?
By EPA's size categories, Franklin Water Department is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Norfolk County has 58 active public water systems. Its population served is about 131% above the county average of 14,602 people per system, and accounts for 4% of the 846,897 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Massachusetts, the 1,636 active systems average 6,275 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Franklin Water Department is about 5 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Massachusetts has 531 active community water systems, 32% of the state's 1,636 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 1,354 Massachusetts systems (83%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Franklin Water Department?
EPA lists Franklin Water Department as owned by a local government. The MA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 30 of the 58 active systems in Norfolk County (52%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Franklin Water Department have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2017. The violations listed here began between October 1998 and October 2017. By type: 6 monitoring and reporting, 5 contaminant level above the legal limit and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (5 of them). EPA lists 8 as resolved, 3 as archived and 1 as addressed. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status. Addressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Addressed |
| 2014-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2011-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2010-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2010-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2006-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Resolved |
| 2000-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2000-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 1998-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Franklin Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Franklin Water Department?
Franklin Water Department (PWSID MA2101000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Franklin Water Department serve?
Franklin Water Department reports serving 33,706 people through 9,633 service connections in Norfolk County, Massachusetts.
Where does Franklin Water Department get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Franklin Water Department have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2017. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Franklin Water Department's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 5 are health-based, and the most recent began in October 2017. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Franklin Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Franklin Water Department must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Norfolk County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy Water Dept. (MWRA) | Norfolk | 106,000 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Brookline Water and Sewer Division | Norfolk | 63,191 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Weymouth Water Department | Norfolk | 57,871 | Community | Surface water |
| Randolph/Holbrook Joint Water Board | Norfolk | 46,519 | Community | Surface water |
| Dedham Westwood Water Dist. | Norfolk | 41,630 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Braintree Water and Sewer Dept. | Norfolk | 39,143 | Community | Surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Franklin Water Department, PWSID MA2101000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/franklin-water-department-ma2101000 (data as of October 1, 2026).