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Tap water quality report

Columbia, MO

EPA monitoring detected 22 contaminants across the 6 water suppliers serving Columbia. A detection doesn't automatically mean the water is unsafe — see the highest level found for each below, with its EPA source and period.

6
water suppliers
206,634
people served
22
contaminants found
Missouri rankings Lead in Missouri PFAS in Missouri

What was found in Columbia'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
Fluoride
1640 µg/L 41%
of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L
 5/6 SYR4
Copper
564 µg/L 43%
of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L
 6/6 SYR4
Barium
203 µg/L 10%
of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L
 5/6 SYR4
TTHM
97.9 µg/L 122%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 80 µg/L
 6/6 SYR4
Nitrate-Nitrite
70 µg/L 0.7%
of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L
 5/6 SYR4
Lithium
68.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 4/6 UCMR-5
Chloroform
43.4 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 5/6 SYR4
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
40.8 µg/L 68%
of the EPA limit 60 µg/L
 1/6 SYR4
Lead
36.3 µg/L 242%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 µg/L
 6/6 SYR4
Bromodichloromethane
29.8 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 6/6 SYR4
Dibromochloromethane
22.2 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 6/6 SYR4
Dichloroacetic Acid
21 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 4/6 SYR4
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon And U
17.2 pCi/L 115%
of the EPA limit, in the worst sample — 15 pCi/L
 2/6 SYR4
Monobromoacetic Acid
15 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 1/6 SYR4
Trichloroacetic Acid
9.98 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 2/6 SYR4
Chromium
6.41 µg/L 6.4%
of the EPA limit 100 µg/L
 4/6 SYR4
Dibromoacetic Acid
6.27 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 3/6 SYR4
Bromoform
5.13 µg/L
No EPA limit set
 4/6 SYR4
Combined Radium (-226 And -228)
4 pCi/L 80%
of the EPA limit 5 pCi/L
 3/6 SYR4
Combined Uranium
1.1 µg/L 3.7%
of the EPA limit 30 µg/L
 1/6 SYR4
Dichloromethane
0.6200 µg/L 12%
of the EPA limit 5 µg/L
 1/6 SYR4
Lead
0.0054 mg/L 36%
of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L
 6/6 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 Columbia

SupplierPopulation served
CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES 126,254
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI COLUMBIA 40,000
BOONE COUNTY CONS PWSD 1 24,700
BOONE COUNTY PWSD 9 15,035
KUHLE H20 450
GREEN HILLS MHP 195

Frequently asked questions about Columbia tap water

Is Columbia tap water safe to drink?

EPA testing detected 22 contaminants in the water serving Columbia. 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 Columbia?

6 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Columbia, Missouri to the EPA. Each is listed above with its population served.

What contaminants are in Columbia's water?

The contaminants EPA monitoring detected in Columbia include Fluoride, Copper, Barium, TTHM, Nitrate-Nitrite. 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.