Tap WaterIndex

← Kansas

Tap water quality report

Columbus, KS

EPA monitoring detected 23 contaminants across the 3 water suppliers serving Columbus. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

3
water suppliers
4,783
people served
23
contaminants found
Kansas rankings Lead in Kansas PFAS in Kansas

What was found in Columbus's water

The highest level seen across the city's suppliers, the EPA limit for each, and where the figure comes from.

ContaminantLevel vs EPA limitSuppliersSource
Nitrate
3100 µg/L 31%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 2/3 SYR4
Chlorite
2700 µg/L 270%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 1000 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Copper
1100 µg/L 85%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 3/3 SYR4
Fluoride
1000 µg/L 25%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Barium
130 µg/L 6.5%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 2/3 SYR4
TTHM
80 µg/L 100%
of the EPA limit 80 µg/L
 3/3 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
76 µg/L 127%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 60 µg/L
 3/3 SYR4
Chloroform
57 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
37 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
34 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Lead
26 µg/L 173%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L
 3/3 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
18 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
17 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Monochloroacetic Acid
15 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Bromoform
13 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
8.5 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Selenium
7.9 µg/L 16%
of the EPA limit 50 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Atrazine
5.4 µg/L 180%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 3 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
3.3 pCi/L 66%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
 2/3 SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid
3.1 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/3 SYR4
Chromium
2.8 µg/L 2.8%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Arsenic
2.5 µg/L 25%
of the EPA limit 10 µg/L
 1/3 SYR4
Lead
0.0024 mg/L 16%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 2/3 LCR
Each bar shows the measured level as a share of the EPA limit: green is well under, amber is close to it, red is over. For lead and copper the limit applies to exactly the 90th-percentile figure shown, so red there means a real exceedance. For everything else the limit applies to a running annual average while the figure is the single worst sample on record — over 100% is worth reading, but is not by itself a violation. Formal violations are listed separately. These are the utilities' own EPA-reported results, not a city-wide average. A detection means the lab measured the substance — it isn't the same as exceeding a legal limit. Hover a source tag to see the EPA program and years behind each figure.

Water suppliers serving Columbus

SupplierPopulation served
COLUMBUS, CITY OF 2,882
CHEROKEE CO RWD 3 1,900
PUBLIC WHOLESALE WSD 19 1

Frequently asked questions about Columbus tap water

Is Columbus tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 23 contaminants in the water serving Columbus. A detection isn't the same as a violation — most detected levels are within federal limits. Check the level and source for each contaminant above, and your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report for the official compliance status.

How many water suppliers serve Columbus?

3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Columbus, Kansas to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Columbus's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Columbus include Nitrate, Chlorite, Copper, Fluoride, Barium. The full list, with the highest level found and the data source, is in the table above.

Where does this data come from?

Every figure is official EPA drinking-water monitoring — the Lead & Copper Rule, the UCMR-5 nationwide testing program, and the EPA Six-Year Review — not our own testing. Each number is labelled with its source and period.