# Columbia, SC — Drinking Water Quality (2024)

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

- Page: https://www.thewatermap.com/water/sc/columbia/2024
- JSON API: https://www.thewatermap.com/api/water/sc/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: 30
- Contaminants with a federal limit: 17
- Contaminants at or above the federal limit: 3
- Part of The Water Map — https://www.thewatermap.com

## Contaminants measured

| Contaminant | Category | Measured level | Sampling context | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chloramine | Disinfectants | 0.01–4.3 (Range) | System-wide | 4 (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| Chlorite | Disinfection byproducts | 1.32 (Reported level) | System-wide | 1 (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| HAA5 | Disinfection byproducts | 11–65 (Range) | System-wide | 60 (MCL) | At or above the limit |
| TTHM | Disinfection byproducts | 15–67 (Range) | System-wide | 80 (MCL) | Approaching the limit |
| Chloride | Inorganic chemicals | 10.8 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | 250 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Fluoride | Inorganic chemicals | 0.83 (Reported level) | System-wide | 4 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sulfate | Inorganic chemicals | 21.6 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | 250 mg/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Calcium | Metals | 12.6 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Copper | Metals | 0.17 (Reported level) | System-wide | 1.3 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Iron | Metals | 92 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | 300 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Lead | Metals | 6 (Reported level) | System-wide | 15 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Magnesium | Metals | 1.9 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Manganese | Metals | 14.6 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | 50 ug/L (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Selenium | Metals | 0–3.6 (Range) | System-wide | 50 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Sodium | Metals | 8.1 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Total Coliform | Microbial | 0–2.6 (Range) | System-wide | 5 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.0087 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.004 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.0045 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.0046 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOA | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.0055 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| PFOS | PFAS ("forever chemicals") | 0.0069 ug/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Alkalinity | Physical & aggregate | 26 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Color | Physical & aggregate | 0 (Range) | System-wide | 15 (MCL) | None detected |
| Hardness | Physical & aggregate | 36 mg/L (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| pH | Physical & aggregate | 8 (Average) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| TOC | Physical & aggregate | 2024 (Reported level) | System-wide | No federal limit | Detected — no federal limit |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 0.735 (Reported level) | System-wide | 5 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 0.872 (Reported level) | System-wide | 15 (MCL) | Within the limit |
| Gross Beta Particle Activity | Radionuclides | 5.36 (Reported level) | System-wide | 50 (MCL) | Within the limit |

## What these contaminants are

- **Chloramine** — A longer-lasting disinfectant made by combining chlorine with ammonia. Holds disinfection further into the pipe network, but is regulated under the same residual-disinfectant cap as chlorine.
- **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.
- **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.
- **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.
- **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.
- **Selenium** — A trace element from natural deposits and industrial discharge. Essential in tiny amounts, but long-term exposure above the federal limit can cause hair and fingernail loss and circulatory problems.
- **Sodium** — A naturally occurring salt component. Not federally regulated for health; relevant for people on sodium-restricted diets.
- **Total Coliform** — A group of bacteria used as an indicator of overall water-system sanitation. Coliforms themselves are usually harmless, but their presence signals that disease-causing organisms could enter the system.
- **Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid** — HFPO-DA ('GenX chemicals'), a newer-generation PFAS replacement compound. Regulated by the EPA at 10 parts per trillion and included in the PFAS Hazard Index.
- **Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid** — Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Has no standalone limit but is part of the EPA PFAS Hazard Index that limits PFAS in combination.
- **Perfluorohexanoic acid** — Perfluorohexanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent and widely detected.
- **Perfluoropentanoic acid** — Perfluoropentanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' Monitored under EPA rules; persistent in the environment.
- **PFOA** — Perfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. Linked to cancer, liver damage, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **PFOS** — Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in firefighting foam and coatings. Linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and immune effects; the EPA set an enforceable limit of 4 parts per trillion.
- **Alkalinity** — A measure of the water's capacity to neutralize acids. Not federally regulated for health; relevant to corrosion control and treatment.
- **Color** — A measure of visible tint in the water. Regulated only as a secondary (cosmetic) standard.
- **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.
- **TOC** — Total organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. Not harmful itself, but it is the raw material that forms disinfection byproducts; removal is a treatment requirement.
- **Combined Radium** — Combined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases the risk of bone cancer.
- **Gross Alpha** — Gross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. Long-term exposure above the federal limit increases cancer risk.
- **Gross Beta Particle Activity** — Gross beta particle activity — a combined measure of beta-emitting radioactive substances. Long-term exposure above the federal screening level increases cancer risk.

## 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._