Drinking Water Quality and Monitoring
Columbus has been a leader in water quality since the 1900s when the Hoover brothers researched water treatment methods to reduce typhoid which was prevalent during that time. As a result of their research, Columbus gained national prominence in the water industry.
Water quality monitoring has always been a part of the treatment process at the Columbus Water Treatment Plants, but up until the 1970s, there were few federal standards. After the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was enacted by Congress. In the late 1970s, the Division of Water initiated plans for a water quality research laboratory. This new laboratory would permit the Division to conduct appropriate applied research, maintain high monitoring standards for raw and treated water quality and greatly improve our ability to comply with future federal and state EPA water regulations. In 1984, the Water Research Laboratory was completed.
With the addition of the Research Lab, the Columbus Division of Water had the ability to perform independent monitoring, research of new treatment methods, and provide water analyses of the watershed, distribution system and respond to the customer's water quality concerns. In 1989, the name was changed to the Water Quality Assurance Laboratory (WQAL).
In one of the most modern water quality research laboratories in the water supply industry, certified personnel perform thousands of tests each year and provide data regarding water quality, treatment, and microbiological testing. This ongoing testing and research assures that Columbus drinking water will be of the highest quality, currently meeting all SDWA standards. More info...