Columbia Water operates and maintains the drinking water treatment, distribution, and storage system that serves City of Columbia customers. These customers include: properties located inside the city limits, major portions of Richland County, portions of Lexington County and other local communities.
The Columbia Canal Water Treatment Plant, located at 300 Laurel St., and Lake Murray Water Plant, located at 102 Rocky Point Rd., have a combined rated capacity of 150 million gallons per day and serve approximately 375,000 customers. The distribution system has over 2,400 miles of water lines, pump stations, storage tanks and pressure reducing valves that distribute water across 9 major pressure zones. Both water plants operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The Department collects wastewater from approximately 63,000 approved connections located along approximately 1,000 miles of pipe line both inside the City limits and in portions of both Richland and Lexington Counties.
The sewage is treated at the City’s Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant, located at 1200 Simon Tree Lane. The plant is a biological oxidation extended aeration sewage treatment facility that has a rated capacity of 60 million gallons per day (MGD) and treats an average of 35 MGD of sewage. Treatment at the plant consists of flow equalization and metering, screening and grit removal, primary and secondary clarification, diffused air flotation, solids handling and dewatering, anaerobic digestion, incineration, activated sludge aeration, return and waste activated sludge opertaions, chlorination and dechlorination. Approximately five percent of the wastewater treated daily at the plant is industrial.
Water that enters our stormdrains flows directly into nearby streams, creeks, rivers and other waterways. This water is NOT treated before it reaches our waterways. We can all help keep our waterways clean by preventing pollution from running down our stormdrains.
The Columbia Water Stormwater Management Team is dedicated to partnering with City staff, local businesses, City residents and visitors to keep our waterways clean!