Public water system · IN5292004
ActiveColumbia City Water Department
At a glance
Columbia City Water Department (PWSID IN5292004) is an active community water system in Whitley County, Indiana. It reports serving 9,892 people through 4,124 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
9,892
Service connections
4,124
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Columbia City Water Department compare with other water systems in Whitley County?
By EPA's size categories, Columbia City Water Department is a medium system (3,301 to 10,000 people). Whitley County has 39 active public water systems, and Columbia City Water Department is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 20 times the county average of 502 people per system, and accounts for 51% of the 19,557 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Indiana, the 3,969 active systems average 1,456 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Columbia City Water Department is about 48% above that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Indiana has 770 active community water systems, 19% of the state's 3,969 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 3,769 Indiana systems (95%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Columbia City Water Department?
EPA lists Columbia City Water Department as owned by a local government. The IN state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 5 of the 39 active systems in Whitley County (13%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Columbia City Water Department have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024. The violations listed here began between June 1980 and July 2024. By type: 4 monitoring and reporting, 2 contaminant level above the legal limit, 1 reporting and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (2 of them). EPA lists 7 as resolved and 1 as archived. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Haloacetic acids (HAA5)code 2456 | No | Resolved |
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | No | Resolved |
| 2021-05-01 | ReportingReport Sample Result/Fail Monitor (RTCR) · code 4B | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2012-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2001-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2000-10-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Inadequate Reporting · code 72 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 1993-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Resolved |
| 1980-06-30 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Gross alpha (excluding radon and uranium)code 4000 | No | Archived |
All 8 violations in EPA's records, newest first. Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Columbia City Water Department: frequently asked questions
Who runs Columbia City Water Department?
Columbia City Water Department (PWSID IN5292004) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IN state drinking water program.
How many people does Columbia City Water Department serve?
Columbia City Water Department reports serving 9,892 people through 4,124 service connections in Whitley County, Indiana.
Where does Columbia City Water Department get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Columbia City Water Department have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Columbia City Water Department's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list 8 violations for this system; 2 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Columbia City Water Department's water quality report?
As a community water system, Columbia City Water Department must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Whitley County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Whitley Municipal Water | Whitley | 1,818 | Community | Groundwater |
| Churubusco Water Department | Whitley | 1,803 | Community | Groundwater |
| Camp Whitley, Inc.. | Whitley | 600 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Whitko Career Academy | Whitley | 570 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Northern Heights Elementary School | Whitley | 566 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Heckman Community Park | Whitley | 500 | Transient non-community | Groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Columbia City Water Department, PWSID IN5292004, Indiana”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/indiana/columbia-city-water-department-in5292004 (data as of October 1, 2026).