Richland County tap water: hardness, PFAS and lead
Richland County, South Carolina has about 430,651 residents (Census 2024 estimate) and 30 community water systems in EPA records. The largest local system is Columbia City of (Sc4010001), serving about 354,068 people from surface water.
! 1 of 6 largest systems with health-based violationsPFAS detected at 2 of 2 sampled systemsHardness 0.9 gpg (low confidence)
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
How hard is Richland County water?
Columbia City of (Sc4010001)Estimate: untreated local water, not your tap · Low confidence
0.9 gpg(15 mg/L), soft
Richland County: median of 1,322 results from 146 monitoring sites (streams and wells). Utilities may blend or treat water, so your tap can differ.
County estimates: Hard Water Map (hardwatermap.com), CC BY 4.0, derived from the USGS/EPA Water Quality Portal; file generated 2026-07-22. License
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
At this hardness most homes don't need a softener. Confirm with a test strip if you see scale.
Largest water systems in Richland County
The 6 biggest of 30 community water systems on EPA records for this county. Service areas don't follow county lines; your water bill names your provider.
Columbia City of (Sc4010001)
SC4010001 · serves about 354,068 people · Surface water
Lead 90th percentile: 5 ppb (period starting 2021-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
HFPO-DA: highest sample 9.2 ppt (5 of 8 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
PFOS: highest sample 8.6 ppt (6 of 8 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFOA: highest sample 6.9 ppt (6 of 8 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFPeA: highest sample 6.8 ppt (8 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFHxA: highest sample 5.7 ppt (8 of 8 samples); no federal limit
PFBS: highest sample 5.2 ppt (4 of 8 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
PFHpA: highest sample 3 ppt (1 of 8 samples); no federal limit
SC4010501 · serves about 31,000 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS detected (7 types)
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2023-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
PFPeA: highest sample 9.5 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
HFPO-DA: highest sample 8.1 ppt (1 of 4 samples); federal limit 10.0 ppt as a running annual average, also counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit (currently in effect; EPA has proposed removing it)
PFOS: highest sample 7.3 ppt (4 of 4 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFHxA: highest sample 7.3 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no federal limit
PFOA: highest sample 6.9 ppt (4 of 4 samples); federal limit 4.0 ppt as a running annual average
PFBS: highest sample 5.7 ppt (4 of 4 samples); no individual limit; counted in EPA's PFAS mixture (hazard index) limit
PFHpA: highest sample 3.4 ppt (2 of 4 samples); no federal limit
SC4020002 · serves about 2,200 people · Groundwater
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS: not sampled
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2023-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
SC4050015 · serves about 828 people · Surface water
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS: not sampled
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2022-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
✓ No health-based violations✓ Lead below detectionPFAS: not sampled
Lead 90th percentile: <DL (below the lab detection/reporting limit; reported as 0) (period starting 2021-01-01) Older result. Action level: 15 ppb (drops to 10 ppb on Nov 1, 2027).
Public-record figures, not a test of your tap. Not 100% accurate or guaranteed. Confirm with a water test, your utility or a qualified pro before you buy or act.
A PFAS detection is not a violation. Federal limits (4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS) apply to running annual averages, with compliance required by 2029. In May 2026 EPA proposed extending the PFOA/PFOS deadline to 2031 and removing other PFAS limits; not final as of 2026-10-21.
Test your own tap
These are public records for whole systems. Your home's pipes, fixtures and any private well can change what you drink. A certified lab test or a hardness test strip gives you your own numbers. Then use our PFAS and lead filter selector to see which certifications to look for.
Common questions about Richland County water
Is tap water in Richland County safe to drink?
1 of the 6 largest systems here have at least one health-based violation in EPA records since October 2021 (see each system below for status). Columbia City of (Sc4010001)'s most recent lead 90th percentile was 5 ppb (2021), below the 15 ppb action level. Public records can't guarantee what comes out of your tap, especially with older plumbing, so a home test is the surest check.
How hard is the water in Richland County?
There's no published utility figure in our data, but untreated local stream and well samples in Richland County have a median of about 0.9 grains per gallon (15 mg/L, soft). That's a low-confidence estimate of source water, not your tap, so test before you buy equipment.
Is there PFAS in Richland County water?
2 of the 2 sampled systems listed here detected at least one PFAS in EPA's UCMR 5 testing, and 4 results were above the level of a federal limit in at least one sample. A detection isn't a violation: federal PFAS limits apply to running annual averages starting in 2029.
Which water system serves my address in Richland County?
Most homes are served by Columbia City of (Sc4010001) or one of the other systems listed on this page, but service areas don't follow county lines. Your water bill names your provider, and its annual Consumer Confidence Report has the full test results.
Data as of October 21, 2026. Figures are copied from public records and combined with our own calculations; they can be out of date or wrong. Tapped Out isn't affiliated with any utility or the EPA. Written and reviewed by the Tapped Out team. How we calculate · All sources.