# Columbia, MO — Drinking Water Quality (2024)

> Contaminant levels for the Columbia, MO public water system from its 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, compared to federal limits.

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/mo/columbia/2024
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/mo/columbia/2024
- Source: the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
- Verification: transcribed by a model, cross-checked by a second model, approved before publishing
- Reporting year: 2024
- Contaminants measured: 22
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 15
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 1
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 11 ug/L (Running annual avg) | System-wide | 60 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 41 ug/L (Running annual avg) | System-wide | 80 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Bromide | Inorganic chemicals | 0.0688 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 0.05 mg/L (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Chloride | Inorganic chemicals | 31.5 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 250 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.7 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 4 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sulfate | Inorganic chemicals | 96.5 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 250 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Barium | Metals | 0.138 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 2 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Calcium | Metals | 40.6 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.13 mg/L (90th percentile) | 90th Percentile: 90% of your water utility levels were less than | 1.3 mg/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Iron | Metals | 0.172 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 0.3 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Lead | Metals | 3.25 ug/L (90th percentile) | 90th Percentile: 90% of your water utility levels were less than | 15 ug/L (Action level) | Within the limit |
| Lithium | Metals | 21.4 ug/L (Maximum) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Magnesium | Metals | 20.7 mg/L (Maximum) | Your Water System Highest Sampled | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Manganese | Metals | 0.00842 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 0.05 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Nickel | Metals | 0.00165 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | 0.1 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Potassium | Metals | 4.41 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Sodium | Metals | 35.2 mg/L (Maximum) | Your Water System Highest Sampled | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Zinc | Metals | 0.00181 mg/L (Maximum) | Your Water System Highest Sampled | 5 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Alkalinity | Physical & aggregate | 137 mg/L (Maximum) | Your Water System Highest Sampled | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Hardness | Physical & aggregate | 187 mg/L (Range) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 8.22 (Maximum) | Your Water System Highest Sampled | 8.5 (MCL) | Approaching the limit |
| Total Dissolved Solids | Physical & aggregate | 329 mg/L (Maximum) | Your Water System Highest Sampled | 500 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **HAA5** — Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is associated with an increased cancer risk.
- **TTHM** — Total trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. Long-term exposure above the federal limit is linked to liver, kidney, and central-nervous-system effects and increased cancer risk.
- **Bromide** — A naturally occurring salt found in source water. Not directly regulated, but a precursor that increases formation of brominated disinfection byproducts.
- **Chloride** — A naturally occurring salt compound. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels cause a salty taste and can corrode pipes.
- **Fluoride** — A mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. Beneficial at low levels, but long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause bone disease and tooth mottling.
- **Sulfate** — A naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. No health-based federal limit; high levels can have a laxative effect and a bitter taste.
- **Barium** — A metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure above the federal limit can raise blood pressure.
- **Calcium** — A naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling and taste.
- **Copper** — A metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. Short-term exposure causes stomach distress; long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys.
- **Iron** — A naturally occurring metal common in groundwater. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; causes rusty color, staining, and metallic taste.
- **Lead** — A toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. There is no safe level of lead; it harms brain development in children and raises blood pressure in adults. The EPA sets an action level, not a health goal above zero.
- **Lithium** — A naturally occurring element found in some groundwater. No enforceable federal limit; on the EPA contaminant candidate list for further study.
- **Magnesium** — A naturally occurring mineral that contributes to water hardness. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling and taste.
- **Manganese** — A naturally occurring metal from soil and rock. No enforceable federal limit; high levels stain fixtures and laundry and can affect taste, with a health advisory for infants.
- **Nickel** — A metal from natural deposits and industrial discharge. Long-term exposure can cause skin and other effects; monitored under EPA rules.
- **Potassium** — A naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. Not federally regulated for health.
- **Sodium** — A naturally occurring salt component. Not federally regulated for health; relevant for people on sodium-restricted diets.
- **Zinc** — A naturally occurring metal that can also enter water from corroding pipes. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels cause a metallic taste.
- **Alkalinity** — A measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. Not federally regulated for health; relevant to corrosion control and treatment.
- **Hardness** — A measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals. Not federally regulated for health; affects scaling, soap use, and taste.
- **pH** — A measure of how acidic or basic the water is. Regulated only as a secondary standard; very low or high pH can corrode pipes or affect taste.
- **Total Dissolved Solids** — Total dissolved solids — the combined content of all dissolved minerals and salts. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard; high levels affect taste and hardness.

## How to read this

- A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
- 'Federal limit' is the EPA standard (MCL, action level, treatment technique, etc.) that the measured level is compared against.
- 'At or above the federal limit' means the utility's own reported figure met or exceeded that standard.

_Figures are the utility's own published numbers. Generated 2026-05-25 from thewatermap.com._