CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIESmain system
City water report · 2026

Is Columbia Tap Water Safe? 2026 Water Quality Report

Short answer: No measured result is above a legal limit; lithium sits above a screening level. City of Columbia Utilities serves 126,254 residents.

Likely match, check your bill

4 water systems report serving Columbia

This report uses the largest, CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES. Your water bill or annual water quality report names your actual supplier.

Source
Groundwater
Lead service lines
1 lead, 10 galvanized, 2,624 unknown

Source: EPA SDWIS 2026Q2.

Your water utility

City of Columbia Utilities: contact and record

Every detected result

2 detected results, by distance from their limit

CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (EPA PWSID MO3010181) delivers groundwater to 126,254 residents. This report reflects 29 individual PFAS result(s) from the source UCMR5 observations and the latest Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile result. Water hardness and disinfectant type are pending the utility's own annual report.

  • LithiumEPA UCMR 5 · 2024
    10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)
    21.4µg/L
    Above screening
  • Lead (90th percentile)EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule) · 2025
    15 µg/L federal action level
    2.1µg/L
    Within reference
29 other contaminants tested, none detected
  • 11Cl-PF3OUdS
  • 4:2 FTS
  • 6:2 FTS
  • 8:2 FTS
  • 9Cl-PF3ONS
  • ADONA
  • HFPO-DA (GenX)
  • NEtFOSAA
  • NFDHA
  • NMeFOSAA
  • PFBA
  • PFBS
  • PFDA
  • PFDoA
  • PFEESA
  • PFHpA
  • PFHpS
  • PFHxA
  • PFHxS
  • PFMBA
  • PFMPA
  • PFNA
  • PFOA
  • PFOS
  • PFPeA
  • PFPeS
  • PFTA
  • PFTrDA
  • PFUnA

Coverage by group

31 results on record
  • PFAS (forever chemicals)29 not detected
  • Metals & lead1 detected
  • Disinfection by-productsNot monitored
  • Other1 above
Track record

0health-based violations in the last 10 years

From EPA SDWIS. A clean violation history means no enforcement action was recorded; it does not cover contaminants without a limit.

Not in this recordDisinfection by-products weren't monitored in this dataset

No result is not a pass. Your utility's annual water quality report may list them, and a certified lab test covers your own tap.

Test your own tap

Screening tells you if something is worth a closer look; a lab result is the number you can act on.

As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

  • Screening: quick check, not lab-grade

    Safe Home DIY Lead in Drinking Water Combo Test Kit

    Safe Home (EnviroTestKits)

    Lead, read as one of three ranges: 0–4, 5–15 or 15+ ppb

    • Turnaround: 5 minutes

    What it can't tell you: It shows a lead range, not an exact level, and tests nothing else unless you pay extra for the optional lab test.

  • Lab-certified results

    ETR Labs Basic Water Quality Test Kit

    ETR Laboratories

    50+ substances, including lead, copper, arsenic, nitrate, hardness and coliform bacteria

    What it can't tell you: It does not test PFAS, and not every result on the panel falls under the lab's accredited scope.

Commercial

Certified for a concern found here

Each card names which Columbia findings its current certification covers, and which it doesn't.

As an Amazon Associate, PurityMap earns from qualifying purchases. A product appears here only when a current certification record covers at least one identified concern; every concern stays listed. The retail offer is looked up afterwards and never changes which products appear or their order. Affiliate disclosure.

Under-Sink Filter

Aquasana Claryum 3-Stage Max Flow Under-Sink Filter (AQ-6300M)

  • Lead: eligible, evidence match
  • Not established: Lithium
Not suitable for (5)
  • Treating every tap in the home
  • A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
  • All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
  • Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
  • Renters who can't modify plumbing
Countertop System

Aquasana Clean Water Machine Countertop Filter (AQ-CWM2)

  • Lead: eligible, evidence match
  • Not established: Lithium
Not suitable for (3)
  • Treating every tap in the home
  • A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
  • All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
See all 9 products certified for a Columbia concern →
Countertop System

AquaTru Classic Countertop Reverse-Osmosis Purifier (AT2000)

  • Lead: eligible, evidence match
  • Not established: Lithium
Not suitable for (3)
  • Treating every tap in the home
  • A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
  • All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Water Pitcher

Culligan ZeroWater 10-Cup Pitcher (ZEROP10)

  • Lead: eligible, evidence match
  • Not established: Lithium
Not suitable for (3)
  • Treating every tap in the home
  • A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
  • All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Faucet Attachment

Faucet-Mount Filter

  • Lead: eligible, evidence match
  • Not established: Lithium
Not suitable for (3)
  • Treating every tap in the home
  • A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
  • All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Under-Sink Filter

Under-Sink Carbon Block Filter

  • Lead: eligible, evidence match
  • Not established: Lithium
Not suitable for (4)
  • Treating every tap in the home
  • A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
  • All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
  • Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
Under-Sink Filter

Under-Sink Reverse-Osmosis System

  • Lead: eligible, evidence match
  • Not established: Lithium
Not suitable for (5)
  • Treating every tap in the home
  • A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
  • All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
  • Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
  • Renters who can't modify plumbing
Under-Sink Filter

Waterdrop G3P600 Tankless Reverse-Osmosis System

  • Lead: eligible, evidence match
  • Not established: Lithium
Not suitable for (5)
  • Treating every tap in the home
  • A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
  • All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
  • Anyone who can't plumb, drill or hire an installer
  • Renters who can't modify plumbing
Refrigerator Filter

Whirlpool Filter 3 Refrigerator Water Filter (WHR3RXD1)

  • Lead: eligible, evidence match
  • Not established: Lithium
Not suitable for (3)
  • Treating every tap in the home
  • A whole-home hard-water or scale problem
  • All PFAS: its evidence covers only the compounds it names
Questions

Frequently asked questions

Is Columbia tap water safe to drink?

PurityMap does not give a safe/unsafe verdict; it shows what the public records measured. For Columbia, no regulated PFAS were detected in EPA's 2024 testing; the lead 90th-percentile result was 2.1 µg/L against the 15 µg/L action level. CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (PWSID MO3010181) has a Purity Score of 97/100 (confidence: moderate), assessed at the water-system level and computed only from contaminants that were measured. Water can change in your own pipes, so a certified test is the only way to know what comes out of your tap.

Who provides tap water in Columbia?

CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (PWS ID MO3010181) is the public water system on record for Columbia, Missouri, serving about 126,254 people. Confirm the utility on your water bill before acting on a specific finding.

Where does Columbia get its drinking water?

Groundwater (primary source of record in EPA SDWIS).

Are PFAS "forever chemicals" in Columbia's water?

None of the 29 PFAS in EPA's UCMR 5 testing (2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12) was detected. "Not detected" means below the lab's reporting limit, not proven zero.

Is there lead in Columbia's tap water?

CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES's most recent lead 90th-percentile result (2025) was 2.1 µg/L, below the 15 µg/L action level. That figure comes from sampled homes; lead usually enters from a building's own pipes and fixtures, so only a test at your tap tells you what you drink.

What does the latest Columbia water report show?

PurityMap's current record for Columbia holds 31 findings: 1 above a reference, 1 detected within the reference and 29 not detected. Each finding links to its dated public record; a parameter that was never monitored is shown as pending, not as a pass.

Follow this water

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Sources and dataAll 31 records and their sourcesEPA UCMR 5 · EPA SDWIS (Lead & Copper Rule)
ContaminantResultBenchmarkSampledSource
Lithium21.4 µg/L10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Lead (90th percentile)2.1 µg/L15 µg/L federal action level2025–2025 monitoring periodLead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
29 other PFAS tested — none detected
ContaminantResultBenchmarkSampledSource
11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)< 5 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)< 5 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)< 3 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)< 5 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)< 3 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)< 2 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)< 5 ng/L10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)< 5 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)< 6 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)< 20 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)< 3 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)< 4 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)< 3 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)< 3 ng/L2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)< 5 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)< 3 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)< 3 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)< 3 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)< 3 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)< 3 ng/L10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)< 3 ng/L400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)< 4 ng/L10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)< 4 ng/L4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)< 4 ng/L4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)< 4 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)< 3 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)< 8 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)< 7 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)
Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)< 2 ng/LNo federal or state limit; shown for transparency2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)

Lithium

Result
21.4 µg/L
Benchmark
10 µg/L EPA health reference level (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Lead (90th percentile)

Result
2.1 µg/L
Benchmark
15 µg/L federal action level
Sampled
2025–2025 monitoring period
29 other PFAS tested — none detected

11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS)

Result
< 5 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2 FTS)

Result
< 5 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2 FTS)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2 FTS)

Result
< 5 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanone-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS)

Result
< 2 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA) (GenX chemicals)

Result
< 5 ng/L
Benchmark
10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NEtFOSAA)

Result
< 5 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSAA)

Result
< 6 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)

Result
< 20 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluoro (2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PFEESA)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)

Result
< 4 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
2,000 ng/L EPA health advisory (screening, not a legal limit)Screening level, not a legal limit
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)

Result
< 5 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
400,000 ng/L Michigan EGLE state MCL (strictest US state)
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)

Result
< 4 ng/L
Benchmark
10 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)

Result
< 4 ng/L
Benchmark
4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

Result
< 4 ng/L
Benchmark
4.0 ng/L federal MCL (2024)
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS)

Result
< 4 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)

Result
< 3 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTA)

Result
< 8 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)

Result
< 7 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)

Result
< 2 ng/L
Benchmark
No federal or state limit; shown for transparency
Sampled
2024-06-17 to 2024-11-12

Every value is the published result from the cited public record. A reporting limit is the lowest level the method could reliably quantify; a non-detect is not a guarantee of zero.

  • UCMR5 Analytical Results

    UCMR5 Analytical Results: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)

    US EPA

    Published
    2026-01-15
    Newest sample
    2024-11-12
    Findings here
    30
  • State SDWIS Compliance Record

    Lead & Copper Rule 90th-percentile: CITY OF COLUMBIA UTILITIES (MO3010181)

    US EPA SDWIS

    Published
    2026-07-09
    Newest sample
    2025
    Findings here
    1

Methodology: how we analyze water. Prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the PurityMap Editorial Team before publication.