LA / Columbia
LA · Tap water records
Columbia tap water, in plain English
Here is what the EPA's own data shows about tap water in Columbia. According to EPA SDWIS data retrieved June 2026, Columbia is served by 4 active community water systems, together reported to serve about 8,787 people.
As of June 2026, EPA records show 48 violations across the community water system(s) serving Columbia, going back to the earliest EPA record. 28 of these are classified by the EPA as health-based (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks); the rest are monitoring or reporting violations. Each is listed by system below, with its status.
What the EPA has on record, by system
Hebert Water System
3,048 served · groundwater · PWSID LA1021006 - Health-based Coliform (TCR): a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded once in July 2012. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between July 2008 and October 2017. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Coliform (TCR): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in July 2015. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring TTHM: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in July 2013. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded once in July 2013. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
East Columbia Water System
2,829 served · groundwater · PWSID LA1021004 - Health-based TTHM: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 14 times between July 2017 and October 2021. The EPA record lists a level of 456 UG/L; the limit (MCL) is 80 UG/L. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Health-based Groundwater Rule: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 2 times in October 2021. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Health-based Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5): a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 8 times between October 2017 and July 2019. The EPA record lists a level of 200 UG/L; the limit (MCL) is 60 UG/L. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Public Notice: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 2 times between August 2011 and December 2017. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Coliform (TCR): a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 4 times between October 2014 and September 2015. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Columbia Heights Water District
1,965 served · groundwater · PWSID LA1021003 - Health-based Groundwater Rule: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded 2 times in October 2021. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 3 times between March 2017 and October 2022. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
Columbia Water System
945 served · groundwater · PWSID LA1021002 - Health-based Groundwater Rule: a health-based violation (a contaminant recorded above the limit the EPA tracks), recorded once in February 2013. The EPA record for these does not include a measured level. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
- Monitoring Lead and Copper Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 3 times between January 2018 and November 2023. EPA records do not show all of these as returned to compliance.
- Monitoring Consumer Confidence Rule: a monitoring or reporting violation (a required test or report was late or missed — not a measured exceedance), recorded 3 times in July 2023. All have since returned to compliance, per EPA records.
What this means
A health-based violation means a contaminant was recorded above the limit the EPA tracks for it. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was late or missed — not that a contaminant was measured above a limit. “Returned to compliance” means the EPA recorded the issue as resolved.
This page summarizes the EPA's own records and does not assess whether your water is safe to drink. For the most current details, you can verify every record directly with the EPA, and contact your water system with questions.
Source: U.S. EPA Envirofacts SDWIS, retrieved June 2026. Records cover the EPA's full reporting history for these systems. Verify at EPA ECHO.