Water Treatment Plant
Kyle Pocquette is the Operator in Responsible Charge of the Water Treatment Facility and the Cross Connection ORC for the Town of Franklin.
Wastewater Treatment Plant
Jason Hopkins is the Operator in Responsible Charge and the Pretreatment Coordinator of the Wastewater Treatment Facility for the Town of Franklin.
HOW TO GET WATER or SEWER SERVICE
If you need water / sewer for a residential or commercial property, contact Franklin Town Hall at 828-524-2516. You may also stop by Town Hall, located at 95 East Main Street, Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. A reminder that Town Hall is closed major holidays.
Some of your Frequently Asked Questions:
Inform us of date service should be discontinued and new address for final bill. Changing from renter back to owner without interruption of service requires a Revert to Owner form. Mailing Address Change and Revert to Owner Form
Yes a deposit is required. In order to obtain water & sewer service from the Town of Franklin, NC, Renters must complete the following forms and submit to Town Hall located at 95 East Main Street in Downtown Franklin.
- Application for Utility Service
- Valid Photo ID
- Copy of Rental Agreement (or) Letter from Landlord
- A deposit will be required based on credit check (between $100 and $200)
The following items should NOT be flushed into the Town of Franklin sewer system: Condoms, Feminine Products, Cotton Balls, Q Tips, Flushable Wipes (These say flushable but they should not be flushed. They do not break down and cause problems in the collection system and the treatment plant.), Needles, Paper Towels, Fats Oils and Grease (never pour down sink or flush in toilet), Dental Floss, Diapers and Baby Wipes, Acne Pads and Makeup Removal Wipes and Pads.
Wastewater System & Treatment Process
The Town of Franklin Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) utilizes a Hydro-Dyne band screen and a grit removal system that flows into a 1.5 MGD E-Q basin, and a 1.65 MGD biological treatment process that includes an oxidation ditch, and two (2) Rex secondary clarifiers with chlorine contact basin for disinfection using sodium hypochlorite solution and calcium thiosulfate solution for dechlorination. The digester is aerobic and treats 1.0 MGD of sludge. A Komline Sanderson belt press is used for dewatering sludge. There are two (2) Fairbanks Morse Return Sludge Pumps and one Fairbanks Morse waste sludge pump, and a Robbin Meyers Sludge Pump is used in sludge withdrawal to belt press. The Town of Franklin also has back up power supply for the headworks with an 80KW generator and a 600KW at the wastewater treatment plant.
We operate at State Certified Laboratory for the following parameters:
- PH
- Chlorine
- Biochemical Oxygen Demand
- Total Suspended Solids
- Fecal coliform
- Ammonia
- Temperature
The plant operates under the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Under the Water Resources Section who issues our permit to discharge wastewater into the Little Tennessee River. We are required to meet the effluent requirements and monitoring and all other conditions of our permit. Permit # NC0021547.
Public Education on Lead in Drinking Water
As part of the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) published December 16, 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that all community water systems (CWS) and non-transient non-community (NTNC) water systems develop an inventory of all service line connections, both system-owned and customer-owned. The inventory must identify the potential presence of lead within each service line connection. The Town completed this inventory and submitted to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) in October 2024.
Another requirement of NC DEQ is for the Town of Franklin to regularly test 20 sites in various locations within the water system as assigned. During the monitoring period of July 2024 to September 2024, of the 20 sites surveyed, four tested with an amount of lead in excess of the action level indicated by the State. The four testing site property owners were notified regarding the lead levels, as was NC DEQ.
The testing locations where excesses occurred were inside of homes whose plumbing was older than 1986, which is thought to be the source of the lead and the readings. All other monitoring sites were within normal limits and there were no lead overages at the Water Treatment Facility or in other water system testing sites. Based on the results from July and September, the Town is doubling its monitoring to 40 sites and is sending out information to all water system customers as a means to educate the public regarding lead in drinking water. “There is nothing to indicate that there is an issue with the water system and the drinking water is of sound quality and cleanliness; however, notifying all customers is the best way to share the required information,” said Town Manager Amie Owens.
In December 2024, the Town of Franklin was recognized with the NC Area Wide Optimization Program (AWOP) Award from NC DEQ which is a joint program between the EPA and State to enhance the performance of existing surface water treatment facilities.
“The Town’s water treatment processes are being improved and modernized each year as our primary goal is to provide customers with a safe and dependable supply of drinking water,” Owens noted.
A copy of the educational material that is being sent to all water system customers is available online by clicking this link which will allow you to read or download a PDF document on lead in drinking water.
- Lead in Drinking Water Public Education Materials (PDF)
- Letter to Town of Franklin Water Customers (PDF)
NOTICE OF WATER VIOLATION
FRANKLIN, TOWN OF HAS NOT MET MONITORING REQUIREMENTS
We are required to monitor your drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether or not our drtnking water meets health standards. During the compliance period specified in the download below, we (did not monitor or test or did not complete all monitoring or testing for the contaminants listd and therefore cannot be sure of the quality of your drinking water during that time.
No action on your part is needed at this time.
Town of Franklin, NC Water Plant Information
The Town of Franklin Water Plant draws water out of Cartoogechaye Creek. The plant chemically treats, disinfects, and filters the water to make it safe and potable for the residents and guests Town of Franklin.
Town of Franklin, NC Water & Sewer Fee Schedules
Water Services:
All tap fees must be paid prior to service. The meter will be set at the property line. The customer will be billed monthly. *No meter or accessories included with 2 inch taps or larger. In the event it becomes necessary for the Town of Franklin to cut the road to install a tap, an additional charge will be billed.
Sewer Services:
All tap fees must be paid prior to service. A stub-out will be done at the Town's sewer main. The customer will be billed monthly. In the event it becomes necessary for the Town of Franklin to cut the road to install a tap, an additional charge will be billed.
Availability Fees:
Availability fees must be paid prior to service. An availability fee will be charged to applicants for new connections based on the size of the water meter installed. An availability fee is charged for both water and sewer taps.
Miscellaneous Utiltity Charges:
A deposit is charged to non property owners.
| DESCRIPTION | FEE |
| WATER & SEWER ACCOUNT FEES | |
| Deposit for Accounts | Good Credit / $100.00 |
| Fair Credit / $150.00 | |
| Poor Credit / $200.00 | |
| Reconnect Fee Inside | $50.00 |
| Reconnect Fee Outside | $75.00 |
| Penalties | 1.50% |
| ENGINEER REVIEW FEES | |
| Line Extensions (Staff Review) | $300.00 |
| Line Extensions (Engineering Firm) | COST |
| BACKFLOW CROSS-CONNECTION | |
| Violation of Ordinance | $1,000.00 Per Violation / Per Day |
| Falsifying Records / Reports for Testing | $1,000.00 Per Violation |
| METERS & HYDRANTS | |
| Turn On/Off Meter During Business Hours (Customer Request - Non-Emergency) | $40.00 |
| Turn On/Off Meter After Business Hours (Customer Request) | $100.00 |
| Meter Replacement (Customer Request) | Cost Plus 10% |
| Meter Relocation Fee | Cost Plus 10% |
| Fire Hydrant Installation | Cost Plus 10% |
| Illegal Use Fire Hydrant / Tampering Fee | $500.00 + Damages |
| Chemical Analysis of Water (Customer Request) | Cost Plus 10% |
| BULK WATER | |
| 2 Inch Hydrant Meter Base Charge (18,000 Gallons) | $443.40 |
| 3/4 Inch Hydrant Meter Base Charge (1,000 Gallons) | $52.40 |
| Volume Charge Per 1,000 Gallons | $8.10 |
| WASTEWATER SERVICES | |
| Septic Truck Dumping Fee (per gallon) | $0.10 |
| Late Payment Fee for Septic Truck Dumping Fee | 1.5% of Balance Due |
| RV / Camper Dumping Fee | $50.00 |
| Surcharge BOD in Excess of Local Limits (Per LB) | $0.25 |
| Surcharge TSS in Excess of Local Limits (Per LB) | $0.15 |
| DAMAGED UTILITIES | |
| Utilities Damaged by Customer or Contractor | Cost of Equipment, Manpower and Supplies |
| EQUIPMENT USE (One Hour Minimum) | |
| Rubber-Tired Backhoe | $60.00 per hour |
| Mini-Excavator | $58.00 per hour |
| Vac Truck | $90.00 per hour |
| Dump Truck Small | $24.00 per hour |
| Dump Truck Large | $42.00 per hour |
| Sewer Camera | $60.00 per hour |
| Air Compressor | $24.00 per hour |
| Soil Tamp | $24.00 per hour |
| Street Sweeper | $90.00 per hour |
| MANPOWER USE (One Hour Minimum) | |
| Town Employees | Job Title Payrate Midpoint |
| FY 24 / 25 | FY 25 / 26 | ||||
| Size | Min. Gallons | Inside | Outside | Inside | Outside |
| 3/4 Inch | 1,000 | $22.05 | $44.10 | $24.26 | $48.51 |
| 1 Inch | 6,000 | $72.82 | $150.05 | $80.10 | $165.06 |
| 2 Inch | 18,000 | $203.49 | $419.27 | $223.84 | $461.20 |
| 4 inch | 24,000 | $319.62 | $658.46 | $351.58 | $724.31 |
| 6 Inch | 30,000 | $464.68 | $957.29 | $511.15 | $1,053.02 |
| 8 Inch & Above | Set By Engineering Study | ||||
| Volume Charge Water Per 1,000 Gallons | $3.99 | $8.30 | $4.39 | $9.13 | |
| Sewer Base Charge | $10.40 | $20.79 | $11.44 | $22.87 | |
| Volume Charge Sewer Per 1,000 Gallons | $5.25 | $8.09 | $5.78 | $8.90 |
| FY 24 / 25 | FY 25 / 26 | ||||
| Size | Min. Gallons | Inside | Outside | Inside | Outside |
| 3/4 Inch | 1,000 | $29.24 | $60.27 | $32.16 | $66.30 |
| 1 Inch | 6,000 | $94.55 | $194.88 | $104.01 | $214.37 |
| 2 Inch | 18,000 | $224.07 | $509.04 | $271.78 | $534.49 |
| 4 inch | 24,000 | $392.33 | $808.08 | $431.45 | $848.48 |
| 6 Inch | 24,000 | $537.34 | $1,107.02 | $591.07 | $1,162.37 |
| 8 Inch & Above | Set By Engineering Study | $9.92 | |||
| Volume Charge Water Per 1,000 Gallons | $4.57 | $9.45 | $5.03 | ||
| Sewer Base Charge | $11.13 | $23.00 | $12.24 | $24.15 | |
| Volume Charge Sewer Per 1,000 Gallons | $5.25 | $10.71 | $5.78 | $11.25 |
| Size/Other | Inside | Outside | Additional | |
| Water | 3/4 Inch | $1,380.00 | $2,760.00 | Plus Materials & Accessories |
| Water | 1 Inch | $1,725.00 | $3,450.00 | Plus Materials & Accessories |
| Water | 2 Inch | $2,300.00 | $4,600.00 | Plus Materials & Accessories |
| Water | 4 Inch | $3,163.00 | $6,325.00 | Plus Materials & Accessories |
| Water | 6 Inch | $3,795.00 | $7,590.00 | Plus Materials & Accessories |
| Water | 8 Inch | $4,428.00 | $8,855.00 | Plus Materials & Accessories |
| Water | 10 Inch & Above | Set By Engineering Study | ||
| Water | Crossing Road (Punch) | $300.00 | $600.00 | |
| Water | Cutting Road | $600.00 | $1,200.00 | |
| Sewer | $880.00 | $1,760.00 | ||
| Sewer | $1,100.00 | $2,200.00 | ||
| Sewer | $1,320.00 | $2,640.00 | ||
| Sewer | Set By Engineering Study | |||
| Sewer | $600.00 | $1,200.00 | ||
| AVAILABILITY FEE SCHEDULE | ||||
| Water Meter Size | Water | Sewer | ||
| Size/Fee | 3/4 Inch | $735.00 | $1,155.00 | |
| Size/Fee | 1 Inch | $1,838.00 | $2,888.00 | |
| Size/Fee | 2 Inch | $5,880.00 | $9,240.00 | |
| Size/Fee | 3 Inch | $11,025.00 | $17,325.00 | |
| Size/Fee | 4 Inch | $18,375.00 | $28,875.00 | |
| Size/Fee | 6 Inch | $44,100.00 | $69,300.00 | |
| Size/Fee | 8 Inch | $55,125.00 | $86,625.00 | |
| Size/Fee | 10 Inch | $73,500.00 | $105,000.00 | |
| Size/Fee | 12 Inch | $91,875.00 | $144,375.00 |