Richland County, South Carolina: drinking water report. Richland County – Columbia – serves about 420,000 residents.
Richland County – Columbia – serves about 420,000 residents. The City of Columbia draws from the Broad River, Lake Murray, and the Congaree River (where the Broad and Saluda Rivers merge). The county's position in the Midlands, between the Upstate mountains and the Lowcountry coast, gives it access to multiple surface water sources.
Columbia's surface water sources are generally clean, fed by rivers draining the Piedmont. UCMR5 data shows low-level PFAS detections in county systems. Fort Jackson, a major Army training installation within the Columbia city limits, is a potential PFAS source from AFFF use.
According to the South Carolina DHEC's 2024 monitoring data, PFAS levels in the Columbia system were below proposed federal MCLs. The 2015 catastrophic flooding – when over 20 inches of rain fell in parts of the county in three days – damaged water infrastructure and caused extended boil-water advisories, demonstrating the system's vulnerability to extreme weather.
Richland County's water quality is generally good under normal conditions. Extreme weather is the primary risk factor for disruptions.
Check your water for data in your area. A carbon filter handles taste and chlorine. For PFAS, reverse osmosis is more effective. Our water filter guide covers both. Pull your detailed report, and visit our South Carolina page for statewide data.