Question 1

Is the water safe to drink in Columbia, South Carolina?

Accepted Answer

Drinking water safety in Columbia is tracked through EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) violation records. This page shows water system violations, Superfund sites, toxic releases, air quality, and other environmental data for Richland County, South Carolina.

Question 2

What environmental databases are included?

Accepted Answer

This page aggregates data from eight EPA databases: Safe Drinking Water (SDWIS), Superfund/NPL sites, Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), Air Quality Index (AQI), Leaking Underground Storage Tanks (LUST), NPDES water discharge permits, RCRA hazardous waste, and Brownfields.

Question 3

What does the Air Quality Index (AQI) mean?

Accepted Answer

AQI is measured on a scale from 0 to 500. Values under 50 are 'Good,' 51-100 is 'Moderate,' and above 100 is 'Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.' AQI is measured at the county level since air quality monitoring stations are sparse. Your town shares its county's AQI reading.

Question 4

What is a Superfund site?

Accepted Answer

A Superfund site is a location contaminated by hazardous waste that has been placed on the EPA's National Priorities List (NPL) for long-term cleanup. These sites pose serious risks to human health and the environment. Cleanup can take decades and cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

Columbia, SC

Columbia Environmental Data