The well water is monitored for any possibility of contamination and over 6,000 tests are run each year on samples at the Water Treatment Plant and from 31 locations throughout Columbia. Columbia's drinking water meets or exceeds all quality standards set by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Source of Supply Columbia's water is pumped from wells that tap into a water-filled bed of sand and gravel beneath the bottom land bordering the Missouri River just southwest of the city. Melting glaciers washed sand, gravel and boulders downstream and left thick deposits along the course of the river. This geological formation is an alluvium and when saturated with water becomes an alluvial aquifer.
Water slowly moves through the aquifer, which acts as a natural filtration system.
Forty-four billion gallons of water fill the area which is constantly replenished by groundwater sources. The wells average 110 feet deep, penetrating the aquifer near its bottom. Collectively, our twelve wells can pump about 17 thousand gallons of water per minute or 24 million gallons per day to the McBaine Water Treatment Plant. At the treatment plant, the water first flows through aerators and is exposed to air that is drawn through the aerators by fans. This oxidation of the well water reduces levels of iron, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide that are naturally found in the water.