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Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA records for COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY • Updated September 2026
Grade A — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY has a clean recent record: no health-based violations in the last five years and no lead, PFAS or historical monitoring result that costs it more than a few points.
Yes — by EPA's records, Columbus's tap water earns a A: no health-based violations in five years, lead at 2.7 ppb (90th percentile) and only low-level PFAS (PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFPeA). Lead from home plumbing is the main remaining risk.
By EPA's records, yes. COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 2.7 ppb, and PFAS (PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFPeA) below federal limits. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31) was 2.74 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
Yes. EPA's UCMR5 sampling (2024-07-16 to 2025-01-14) detected PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFPeA, all below federal MCLs. Reverse osmosis and certified activated-carbon filters reduce PFAS.
No. EPA's SDWIS shows no violations of any kind for COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY since 2016.
COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY reports groundwater as its primary source and serves about 51,122 people (EPA PWSID IN5203002).
Optional but sensible. The findings on this page are below federal limits; an NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter handles PFAS and improves taste.
Want to know what's really in your Columbus tap water?
PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFPeA were detected in Columbus's water at low levels in 2023–2025 EPA monitoring.
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COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY · SDWIS records since 2016 · 5-year window starts 2021-09-07
EPA records no health-based violations for this system in the last five years.
No violations of any kind on file since 2016.
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_VIOLATIONS_ENFORCEMENT.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA Lead and Copper Rule 90th-percentile results reported by COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY
Well below the 15 ppb action level. In the most recent monitoring period on file (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31), 90% of the homes COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY sampled had lead at or below 2.74 ppb.
EPA's action level is 15 ppb (dropping to 10 ppb under the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements). There is no safe level of lead; the 90th-percentile figure describes the system, not your tap — homes with lead service lines or pre-1986 plumbing can be higher.
| Monitoring period | Lead 90th percentile | vs 15 ppb action level |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-01 → 2025-12-31 | 2.74 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2022-01-01 → 2024-12-31 | 2.08 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2021-01-01 → 2021-12-31 | 3.59 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2018-01-01 → 2020-12-31 | 0 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2015-01-01 → 2017-12-31 | 4.6 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2012-01-01 → 2014-12-31 | 5 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2011-01-01 → 2013-12-31 | 7.9 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2008-01-01 → 2010-12-31 | 2.5 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 2005-01-01 → 2007-12-31 | 5 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
| 2002-01-01 → 2004-12-31 | 4 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 1999-01-01 → 2001-12-31 | 3 ppb | Well below the 15 ppb action level |
| 1996-01-01 → 1996-12-31 | 9 ppb | Below the action level, but detectable |
Source: ECHO SDWA bulk download (SDWA_LCR_SAMPLES.csv, SDWIS 2026Q2, file dated 2026-07-09, fetched 2026-09-06)
EPA UCMR5 monitoring, 2024-07-16 to 2025-01-14 · 116 PFAS results at entry points to the distribution system
PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFPeA detected at low levels; no compound was at or above its federal MCL. Detections below the MCL are common in surface-water systems and are reported here exactly as EPA published them.
| Compound | Detects / samples | Max (ppt) | Reporting limit | EPA MCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PFOA | 0 / 4 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFOS | 0 / 4 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS | 0 / 4 | < 3 | 3 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFNA | 0 / 4 | < 4 | 4 ppt | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA | 0 / 4 | < 5 | 5 ppt | 10 ppt |
| PFBS | 4 / 4 | 9.6 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
| PFBA | 4 / 4 | 9.2 | 5 ppt | hazard index only |
| PFHxA | 2 / 4 | 8.3 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
| PFPeA | 4 / 4 | 16.3 | 3 ppt | hazard index only |
“< 4 ppt” means below the laboratory reporting limit, not zero. ppt = parts per trillion (ng/L). Results are for finished water leaving the treatment plant.
What PFAS are and how to remove them → · Best filters for PFAS →
Source: UCMR5 occurrence data, EPA Data Summary July 2026 (UCMR5_All.txt)
EPA Six-Year Review 4 compliance samples for COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY · finished water only · dated data, released 2024
These are the regulated-contaminant samples COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY reported to its state between 2012 and 2019 — the most recent nationwide sample-level dataset EPA has published. Every scored contaminant stayed within its Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) and averaged below 80% of the limit. Treat this as history, not today's tap water.
| Contaminant | Samples | Average | Max | EPA limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | 42 detects | 0.75 µg/L | 1.8 µg/L | 10 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Nitrate (as N) | 169 detects | 1.792 mg/L | 4.77 mg/L | 10 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Fluoride | 4 | 0.805 mg/L | 0.867 mg/L | 4 mg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Chromium (total) | 40 detects | 0 µg/L | ND | 100 µg/LMCL | Not detected |
| Uranium (combined) | 21 detects | 0.85 µg/L | 1.7 µg/L | 30 µg/LMCL | Within MCL |
| Gross alpha | 20 detects | 0 pCi/L | ND | 15 pCi/LMCL | Not detected |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) | 114 | 12.749 µg/L | 27.4 µg/L | 80 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) | 114104 detects | 3.9 µg/L | 10.8 µg/L | 60 µg/LMCL (LRAA) | Within MCL |
| Lead (tap samples) | 3111 detects | 1.274 µg/L | 7.5 µg/L | 15 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
| Copper (tap samples) | 31 | 218.613 µg/L | 1590 µg/L | 1300 µg/Laction level (90th percentile) | Reported, not scored (compliance is on the 90th percentile) |
Averages count non-detects as zero. TTHM and HAA5 limits are locational running annual averages, so a single high sample is not a violation — we grade those on the average only. Lead and copper rows are individual tap samples and are shown for context; compliance (and our score) uses the 90th-percentile result above. LRAA = locational running annual average; ND = not detected.
Source: SYR4 Six-Year Review compliance monitoring data 2012–2019 (released 2024-03)
COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY · 20,917 service lines inventoried · Q2 2026 snapshot
COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY reports no lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement service lines and has classified 100% of its 20,917 lines as non-lead. Lead can still come from pre-1986 plumbing and fixtures inside a home.
Source: EPA SDWIS Service Line Inventory (Q2 2026) · PWS ID IN5203002 · See all Indiana lead service lines. We may earn a commission from filters and test kits, at no extra cost to you.
Groundwater systems draw from wells; naturally occurring arsenic, nitrate, radium and uranium are the readings to watch, along with PFAS near industrial or military sites.
How to test your tap water and the treatment options that actually fit Columbus homes
The most reliable way to know what is actually coming out of your tap is a certified mail-in lab test. City-wide EPA data (like the report above) reflects the water leaving the treatment plant, but contaminants such as lead and copper can be picked up from your own service line and household plumbing — so the water at your Columbus faucet can differ from the system average. A state-certified lab measures dozens of contaminants at once with results you can trust; you can also find one near you through the EPA's certified-lab list at epa.gov/dwlabcert. Hardware-store test strips are cheaper and instant, but they only screen for a few basics (chlorine, hardness, pH, and a rough lead pass/fail) and are far less accurate — treat them as a first look, not a diagnosis.
Match the treatment to what your test finds. Reverse osmosis (RO) removes the widest range of contaminants — lead, arsenic, nitrate, PFAS, and dissolved solids — which makes an under-sink reverse osmosis system the most thorough choice for Columbus households with heavy-metal or PFAS concerns. If your main issue is taste, odor, or chlorine, an activated carbon filter (pitcher, faucet, or under-sink) is simpler and cheaper and handles chlorine and many organic compounds well, though carbon alone does not remove arsenic, nitrate, or most PFAS. NSF-certified pitchers rated for lead reduction are the easiest way to start today while you decide on a permanent setup.
We may earn a commission from testing kits and filters purchased through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Columbus ranks #21 of 32 graded Indiana cities.
By EPA's records, yes. COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY earns a A: no health-based violations in the last five years, a lead 90th-percentile result of 2.7 ppb, and PFAS (PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFPeA) below federal limits. Lead from your own plumbing is the main risk city data cannot see.
COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2025-01-01 to 2025-12-31) was 2.74 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
Yes. EPA's UCMR5 sampling (2024-07-16 to 2025-01-14) detected PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFPeA, all below federal MCLs. Reverse osmosis and certified activated-carbon filters reduce PFAS.
No. EPA's SDWIS shows no violations of any kind for COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY since 2016.
COLUMBUS MUNICIPAL UTILITY reports groundwater as its primary source and serves about 51,122 people (EPA PWSID IN5203002).
Optional but sensible. The findings on this page are below federal limits; an NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter handles PFAS and improves taste.
PFBA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFPeA were detected in Columbus's water at low levels in 2023–2025 EPA monitoring.
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Based on contaminants detected in your water, these resources may be helpful:
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