Public water system · IA5809063
ActiveColumbus City Public Water Supply
At a glance
Columbus City Public Water Supply (PWSID IA5809063) is an active community water system in Louisa County, Iowa. It reports serving 392 people through 161 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in June 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
392
Service connections
161
Primary source
GWP
Purchased groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Columbus City Public Water Supply compare with other water systems in Louisa County?
By EPA's size categories, Columbus City Public Water Supply is a very small system (500 people or fewer). Louisa County has 22 active public water systems. Its population served is about 11% below the county average of 442 people per system, and accounts for 4% of the 9,731 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Iowa, the 1,828 active systems average 1,718 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Columbus City Public Water Supply is well below 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. Iowa has 1,084 active community water systems, 59% of the state's 1,828 active systems. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 156 Iowa systems (8.5%) list purchased groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Columbus City Public Water Supply?
EPA lists Columbus City Public Water Supply as owned by a local government. The IA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 8 of the 22 active systems in Louisa County (36%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Columbus City Public Water Supply have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in June 2025. The violations listed here began between April 1988 and June 2025. By type: 8 monitoring and reporting, 3 monitoring and 1 public notice, recordkeeping or other. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Revised Total Coliform Rule (3 of them). EPA lists 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2022-02-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2018-09-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Archived |
| 2017-07-01 | Public notice, recordkeeping or otherConsumer Confidence Report Complete Failure to Report · code 71 | Consumer Confidence Rulecode 7000 | No | Resolved |
| 2003-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1993-11-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Routine Major (TCR) · code 23 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | No | Resolved |
| 1990-10-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 1988-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Chromiumcode 1020 | No | Resolved |
| 1988-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Seleniumcode 1045 | No | Resolved |
| 1988-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Bariumcode 1010 | No | Resolved |
| 1988-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Cadmiumcode 1015 | No | Resolved |
| 1988-04-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Mercurycode 1035 | No | Resolved |
The 12 most recent 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.
Columbus City Public Water Supply: frequently asked questions
Who runs Columbus City Public Water Supply?
Columbus City Public Water Supply (PWSID IA5809063) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the IA state drinking water program.
How many people does Columbus City Public Water Supply serve?
Columbus City Public Water Supply reports serving 392 people through 161 service connections in Louisa County, Iowa.
Where does Columbus City Public Water Supply get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased groundwater. Purchased groundwater means the system buys groundwater from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Columbus City Public Water Supply have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in June 2025. 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 Columbus City Public Water Supply'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. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, none is health-based, and the most recent began in June 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the IA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Columbus City Public Water Supply's water quality report?
As a community water system, Columbus City Public Water Supply 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 Louisa County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wapello Municipal Water Works | Louisa | 2,096 | Community | Groundwater |
| Columbus Junction Water Supply | Louisa | 1,830 | Community | Groundwater |
| Tyson Fresh Meats Inc. (Columbus Jct) | Louisa | 1,300 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Louisa-Muscatine Community School | Louisa | 1,190 | Non-transient non-community | Groundwater |
| Morning Sun Water Department | Louisa | 752 | Community | Groundwater |
| Caseys #3449 | Louisa | 715 | 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, “Columbus City Public Water Supply, PWSID IA5809063, Iowa”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/iowa/columbus-city-public-water-supply-ia5809063 (data as of October 1, 2026).