Is Columbia, MO tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for City of Columbia Utilities.
6 public water systems serve parts of Columbia. The largest, City of Columbia Utilities, serves 126,254 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
City of Columbia Utilities
126,254 people · Groundwater · EPA ID MO3010181
Buys treated water from Boone County Public Water Supply District 9.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 2.1 ppb at the 90th percentile (Dec 2025, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 0
Across Missouri, 6 of 227 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 3 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Missouri results.
Columbia homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Columbia city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Other water systems serving Columbia
- University of Missouri Columbia Water System40,000 people · Groundwater · Missouri · lists this cityLithium above screening level
- Boone County Consolidated Public Water Supply District 124,700 people · Groundwater · Missouri · lists this cityLithium above screening level
- Boone County Public Water Supply District 915,035 people · Groundwater · Missouri · lists this cityLithium above screening level
- Kuhle H20 Water System450 people · Groundwater · Missouri · lists this cityColiform bacteria violation
- Green Hills MHP195 people · Purchased groundwater · Missouri · lists this cityNot in EPA's PFAS sample
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City 27 mi Missouri American Water – Jefferson City District | None above limits | 2 ppb |
| Wentzville 79 mi Wentzville Public Water System | None above limits | 4.77 ppb |
| O'Fallon 87 mi Missouri American Water – St Louis St Charles Counties | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Wildwood 93 mi Missouri American Water – St Louis St Charles Counties | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| St. Peters 93 mi Missouri American Water – St Louis St Charles Counties | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Chesterfield 96 mi Missouri American Water – St Louis St Charles Counties | None above limits | 0 ppb |
Columbia ZIP codes (4)
- 65201
- 65203
- 65215
- 65216
Questions
Is Columbia tap water safe to drink?
City of Columbia Utilities has had no health-based violations since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Columbia, MO?
6 public water systems serve parts of Columbia. The largest is City of Columbia Utilities (126,254 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Columbia tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. City of Columbia Utilities had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Columbia homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 32% of Columbia homes as built before 1980 (Missouri: 53%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. City of Columbia Utilities's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.