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Community Water System · PWS MO3069001

University of Missouri Columbia

Columbia, Missouri 65211-2030 - drinking water served from groundwater sources to 40,000 people, tracked in EPA SDWIS and UCMR5.

40,000
People served
14
EPA violations
10
Health-based
No PFAS
UCMR5 result

The verdict

EPA records 14 drinking-water violations at University of Missouri Columbia, 71% of them health-based - below the Missouri per-system average.

14
Total EPA violations on record
71%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)
40,000
People served by this system
0
PFAS compounds detected (UCMR5)

Water Quality Snapshot: University of Missouri Columbia

University of Missouri Columbia is a state-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 40,000 residents in Columbia, Missouri (Boone County) through 242 service connections. Its water is drawn from groundwater sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 14 total violations for this system , of which 10 (71%) are health-based, meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. The most recent violation on record dates to 1995.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is Coliform (TCR), recorded in 10 violations (MCL, health-based). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across Missouri, EPA tracks 2,823 public water systems serving 5,855,885 people, with 201,695 cumulative violations and 54,821 health-based violations on record. About 95% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 71.4 violations. Statewide, 162 of 230 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (70.4%).

University of Missouri Columbia's 14 violations sit below the Missouri average.

All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

Population Served
40,000
Total Violations
14
Health-Based Violations
10
Water Source
Groundwater

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
State
Connections
242
County
Boone
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
10
Monitoring Violations
0
Treatment Tech Violations
0

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
Coliform (TCR) MCL 10 1995

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 290 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFMPA 6/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFUnA 6/20/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 6/20/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 6/20/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 6/20/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 6/20/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBS 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 6/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 6/20/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFNA 6/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOS 6/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFOA 6/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFDoA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
4:2 FTS 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
ADONA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 6/20/2024 <2.00 ppt 2.00 ppt Not Detected
PFBA 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
6:2 FTS 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
HFPO-DA 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
8:2 FTS 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMPA 6/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFEESA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFMBA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTrDA 6/20/2024 <7.00 ppt 7.00 ppt Not Detected
NFDHA 6/20/2024 <20.00 ppt 20.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeS 6/20/2024 <4.00 ppt 4.00 ppt Not Detected
PFPeA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHxS 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpS 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected
PFTA 6/20/2024 <8.00 ppt 8.00 ppt Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 6/20/2024 <5.00 ppt 5.00 ppt Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 6/20/2024 <6.00 ppt 6.00 ppt Not Detected
PFHpA 6/20/2024 <3.00 ppt 3.00 ppt Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records, or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status, go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for University of Missouri Columbia.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS, Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID MO3069001 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Missouri Drinking Water Authority

Missouri DNR, Public Drinking Water Branch is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects University of Missouri Columbia under EPA-delegated authority.

Open MO regulator portal

Source: Missouri DNR, Public Drinking Water Branch

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
1995 Coliform (TCR) MCL 10 SDWIS / MO3069001 / 3100

How University of Missouri Columbia Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric University of Missouri Columbia Missouri avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 14 71.4 SDWA compliance, any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 10 19.4 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 70.4% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 40,000 2,074 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 2,823 regulated public water systems in Missouri.

Federal MCL reference, Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029 (EPA proposed extending to 2031, not yet final as of May 2026)
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is University of Missouri Columbia water safe to drink?
University of Missouri Columbia (PWS ID: MO3069001) has 14 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 40,000 people using Groundwater sources.
How many people does University of Missouri Columbia serve?
University of Missouri Columbia serves 40,000 people in Columbia, Missouri. It is a State-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 242 service connections.
What type of violations does University of Missouri Columbia have?
University of Missouri Columbia has 14 total violations: 10 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 0 monitoring/reporting violations, and 0 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in University of Missouri Columbia water?
No. University of Missouri Columbia was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does University of Missouri Columbia use?
University of Missouri Columbia uses Groundwater as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.
Where does this data come from?
All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.
Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. This system's figures are rendered directly from EPA SDWIS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.