What was found in Columbia's water
The level at the city's main supplier, the highest level anywhere in the city, the EPA limit for each, and where every figure comes from.
| Contaminant | Level vs EPA limit | Suppliers | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrate | 6080 µg/L 61% of the EPA limit 10000 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 7722.5 µg/L — SCHOOLHOUSE APTS · 38 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Copper | 480.7 µg/L 37% of the EPA limit 1300 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Fluoride | 110 µg/L 2.8% of the EPA limit 4000 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 259 µg/L — EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2018 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Barium | 45 µg/L 2.3% of the EPA limit 2000 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 86.51 µg/L — EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2018 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| TTHM | 82.92 µg/L 104% of the EPA limit, at the 95th percentile of samples — 80 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Chloroform | 65.26 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 53.34 µg/L 89% of the EPA limit 60 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Trichloroacetic Acid | 29.4 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 14 µg/L 93% of the EPA limit 15 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 25.2 µg/L — SCHOOLHOUSE APTS · 38 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Dichloroacetic Acid | 24.78 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromodichloromethane | 16.66 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Lithium | 12.8 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2023 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Dibromochloromethane | 7.285 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Monochloroacetic Acid | 5.27 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Bromoform | 1.335 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 2.79 µg/L — EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2018 | 3/3 | SYR4 |
| Chromium | 1.9 µg/L 1.9% of the EPA limit 100 µg/L Highest in the city: EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Dibromoacetic Acid | 1.166 µg/L No EPA limit set Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019
Highest in the city: 1.48 µg/L — EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2019 | 2/3 | SYR4 |
| Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate | 0.8040 µg/L 13% of the EPA limit 6 µg/L Highest in the city: EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Cadmium | 0.5800 µg/L 12% of the EPA limit 5 µg/L Highest in the city: EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Selenium | 0.5700 µg/L 1.1% of the EPA limit 50 µg/L Highest in the city: EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Mercury | 0.3800 µg/L 19% of the EPA limit 2 µg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2019 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Atrazine | 0.1000 µg/L 3.3% of the EPA limit 3 µg/L Highest in the city: EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2018 | 1/3 | SYR4 |
| Lead | 0.0010 mg/L 6.7% of the EPA limit 0.0150 mg/L Main supplier: COLUMBIA WATER CO · 25,200 people · 2025
Highest in the city: 0.0090 mg/L — SCHOOLHOUSE APTS · 38 people · 1993 | 3/3 | LCR |
| PFBS | 0.0053 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2023 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
| Pfpea | 0.0030 µg/L No EPA limit set Highest in the city: EAST DONEGAL · 4,048 people · 2023 | 1/3 | UCMR-5 |
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 95th percentile of the
system's samples — 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
| Supplier | Population served |
|---|---|
| COLUMBIA WATER CO | 25,200 |
| EAST DONEGAL | 4,048 |
| SCHOOLHOUSE APTS | 38 |
Frequently asked questions about Columbia tap water
Is Columbia tap water safe to drink?
EPA testing detected 25 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?
3 public water suppliers report drinking-water monitoring for Columbia, Pennsylvania 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 Nitrate, Copper, Fluoride, Barium, TTHM. The full list, with the level at the main supplier 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.