Public water system · MO3010181
ActiveCity of Columbia Utilities
At a glance
City of Columbia Utilities (PWSID MO3010181) is an active community water system in Boone County, Missouri. It reports serving 126,254 people through 50,207 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2025.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
126,254
Service connections
50,207
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does City of Columbia Utilities compare with other water systems in Boone County?
By EPA's size categories, City of Columbia Utilities is a very large system (more than 100,000 people). Boone County has 13 active public water systems, and City of Columbia Utilities is the largest of them by population served. Its population served is about 7.1 times the county average of 17,685 people per system, and accounts for 55% of the 229,905 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Missouri, the 2,943 active systems average 2,049 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so City of Columbia Utilities is about 19 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. Missouri has 1,612 active community water systems, 55% of the state's 2,943 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 2,521 Missouri systems (86%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates City of Columbia Utilities?
EPA lists City of Columbia Utilities as owned by a local government. The MO state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 9 of the 13 active systems in Boone County (69%) are also owned by a local government.
Does City of Columbia Utilities have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2025. The violations listed here began between October 2007 and September 2025. By type: 3 contaminant level above the legal limit, 2 monitoring and reporting and 1 reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) (3 of them). EPA lists 4 as resolved and 2 as unaddressed. 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. Unaddressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is not yet covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-29 | Monitoring and reportingLead Consumer Notice · code 66 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2025-07-02 | ReportingNotification, Known or Potential LSL · code 4H | Lead and Copper Rule Revisionscode 5200 | No | Unaddressed |
| 2022-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Resolved |
| 2008-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2008-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2007-10-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Average · code 02 | Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)code 2950 | Yes | Resolved |
All 6 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.
City of Columbia Utilities: frequently asked questions
Who runs City of Columbia Utilities?
City of Columbia Utilities (PWSID MO3010181) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MO state drinking water program.
How many people does City of Columbia Utilities serve?
City of Columbia Utilities reports serving 126,254 people through 50,207 service connections in Boone County, Missouri.
Where does City of Columbia Utilities 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 City of Columbia Utilities have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list 6 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 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 City of Columbia Utilities' 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 6 violations for this system; 3 are health-based, and the most recent began in September 2025. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MO state drinking water program.
Where can I find City of Columbia Utilities' water quality report?
As a community water system, City of Columbia Utilities 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 Boone County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Missouri Columbia | Boone | 40,000 | Community | Groundwater |
| Boone County Cons Pwsd 1 | Boone | 24,700 | Community | Groundwater |
| Boone County Pwsd 9 | Boone | 15,035 | Community | Groundwater |
| Boone County Pwsd 4 | Boone | 6,455 | Community | Groundwater |
| Ashland Pws | Boone | 4,999 | Community | Groundwater |
| Boone County Pwsd 10 | Boone | 4,963 | 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, “City of Columbia Utilities, PWSID MO3010181, Missouri”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/missouri/city-of-columbia-utilities-mo3010181 (data as of October 1, 2026).