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Public water system record

Columbia Water Co

Serves an area of Lancaster County, PA that includes Columbia, Mountville and Marietta · 25,200 people served

Federal records show 1 health-based violation and 9 monitoring/reporting issues for Columbia Water Co in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved CARBON, TOTAL violation.

  • PA7360123
  • COLUMBIA
  • PA
  • 25,200 served

System profile

Source water Surface water
ZIP 17512
EPA system ID PA7360123

Verify this system on EPA ECHO →

Health-based violations, last 10 years
1
Resolved
1
Unresolved
0
Any acute record
No
Monitoring issues, last 10 years
9

Key facts

  • Columbia Water Co draws water from 4 wells and 1 surface water intake.
  • Most recent enforcement action: boil water order by Pennsylvania, November 2011.
  • Record on file since 1982, with 10 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
  • Lead pipe inventory: 7 lead and 1,317 unknown out of 10,648 service lines.

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Health-based violations

Since October 2016

Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.

Contaminant Rule family Start date Status Acute
CARBON, TOTAL
Treatment technique failure
 210 Jan 1, 2019 Resolved No

Monitoring and reporting issues

Since October 2016

Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.

Issue Start date Status
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Monitoring and reporting
 Apr 1, 2024 Resolved
Revised Total Coliform Rule
RPT
 Apr 1, 2023 Resolved
Groundwater Rule
Monitoring and reporting
 Apr 1, 2023 Resolved
CARBON, TOTAL
Monitoring and reporting
 Dec 1, 2018 Resolved
CARBON, TOTAL
Monitoring and reporting
 Nov 1, 2018 Resolved
Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)
Monitoring and reporting
 Jul 1, 2017 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Monitoring and reporting
 May 1, 2017 Resolved
Chlorine
Monitoring and reporting
 Apr 1, 2017 Resolved
Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)
Monitoring and reporting
 Jan 1, 2017 Resolved

Full record since 1982

EPA's records for Columbia Water Co go back to 1982. Before October 19, 2016 they list 10 health-based violations (6 resolved, 4 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 113 monitoring or reporting violations.

Violations that began in Health-based Monitoring and reporting
1980s 0 63
1990s 5 24
2000s 1 7
2010 to October 18, 2016 4 19
October 19, 2016 to 2019 1 6
2020s 0 3

Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: CARBON, TOTAL, began April 2016, Resolved.

Show all 10 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
Contaminant Start date Status
CARBON, TOTAL
Treatment technique failure
 Apr 1, 2016 Resolved
CARBON, TOTAL
Treatment technique failure
 Jan 1, 2016 Resolved
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (acute)
Treatment technique failure
 Sep 1, 2011 Resolved
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (acute)
Treatment technique failure
 Aug 1, 2011 Resolved
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
 Aug 1, 2008 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Feb 1, 1992 Resolved
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Jan 1, 1992 Archived
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Nov 1, 1991 Archived
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Mar 1, 1991 Archived
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
 Dec 1, 1990 Archived

Enforcement actions

Pennsylvania regulators took 2 formal enforcement actions against Columbia Water Co and issued 2 boil water orders between 2004 and 2011. The most recent was a boil water order in November 2011.

Date By Action Violations covered
Nov 1, 2011 Pennsylvania Boil water order 1 violation (1 health-based): Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Oct 5, 2011 Pennsylvania Boil water order 1 violation (1 health-based): Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Nov 4, 2005 Pennsylvania Consent decree or court judgment 1 violation: CARBON, TOTAL
Nov 4, 2004 Pennsylvania Consent decree or court judgment 1 violation: Consumer Confidence Rule

What the violations mean

CARBON, TOTAL

1 incident

The system did not complete a treatment step or action that federal rules require for CARBON, TOTAL (a treatment technique violation).

The utility had to notify customers about this violation.

Where the water comes from

Columbia Water Co draws water from 4 wells and 1 surface water intake. 2 smaller public systems such as schools, businesses or campgrounds buy water from Columbia Water Co.

Annual water quality report

Columbia Water Co must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.

Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.

Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search

Testing your own water

To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by Pennsylvania.

Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells