Public water system · MN1020016
ActiveColumbia Heights
At a glance
Columbia Heights (PWSID MN1020016) is an active community water system in Anoka County, Minnesota. It reports serving 22,278 people through 6,700 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
22,278
Service connections
6,700
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Columbia Heights compare with other water systems in Anoka County?
By EPA's size categories, Columbia Heights is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Anoka County has 241 active public water systems, and Columbia Heights is the 4th-largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 16 times the county average of 1,360 people per system, and accounts for 6.8% of the 327,753 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Minnesota, the 6,465 active systems average 820 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Columbia Heights is about 3.3 times 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. Minnesota has 987 active community water systems, 15% of the state's 6,465 active systems. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 37 Minnesota systems (0.6%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Columbia Heights?
EPA lists Columbia Heights as owned by a local government. The MN state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 45 of the 241 active systems in Anoka County (19%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Columbia Heights have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2025. The violations listed here began between July 2025 and August 2025. By type: 1 monitoring, 1 reporting and 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminants or rules involved are Revised Total Coliform Rule, Lead and Copper Rule Revisions and Chlorine. EPA lists 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-08-01 | MonitoringMonitoring, Routine (RTCR) · code 3A | Revised Total Coliform Rulecode 8000 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-07-02 | ReportingNotification, Known or Potential LSL · code 4H | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | No | Resolved |
| 2025-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring and Reporting (DBP) · code 27 | Chlorinecode 0999 | No | Archived |
All 3 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 Heights: frequently asked questions
Who runs Columbia Heights?
Columbia Heights (PWSID MN1020016) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Columbia Heights serve?
Columbia Heights reports serving 22,278 people through 6,700 service connections in Anoka County, Minnesota.
Where does Columbia Heights get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Columbia Heights have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 3 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 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 Columbia Heights' 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 3 violations for this system; none is health-based, and the most recent began in August 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Columbia Heights' water quality report?
As a community water system, Columbia Heights 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 Anoka County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaine | Anoka | 70,220 | Community | Groundwater |
| Coon Rapids | Anoka | 64,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Fridley | Anoka | 27,476 | Community | Groundwater |
| Andover | Anoka | 21,455 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lino Lakes | Anoka | 17,859 | Community | Groundwater |
| Anoka | Anoka | 17,798 | 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 Heights, PWSID MN1020016, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/columbia-heights-mn1020016 (data as of October 1, 2026).