Columbia, WI

Moderate Risk (54/100)

Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.

Environmental data for Columbia in Wisconsin · Population: 58,322

TRI sites such as Columbia Energy Center; Encapsys LLC; United Wisconsin Grain Producers; SDWIS systems such as PORTAGE WATERWORKS; LODI WATERWORKS; POYNETTE WATERWORKS anchor Columbia, WI's EPA extract. Derived burden score 54/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.

Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Columbia include LODI WATERWORKS; POYNETTE WATERWORKS; RANDOLPH WATER DEPT, while Columbia Energy Center leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 38 / peak 93 in 2024.

Burden score 54/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Columbia -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.

Release-over-release change

What changed for Columbia, WI: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year

2022 → 2023

Same facilities, both years

+58.5%

14 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023

Whole inventory

+58.5%

1.8 million lb → 2.9 million lb, every facility that filed

  • Columbia, WI's total reported releases rose from 1.8 million lb in 2022 to 2.9 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Columbia, WI's land releases rose from 1.7 million lb in 2022 to 2.8 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Columbia, WI's off-site transfers fell from 21.6 thousand lb in 2022 to 8.8 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
  • Columbia, WI's air releases rose from 97.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 124.6 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
County population (Census ACS)
58,322
TRI Facilities
15
Water Systems
21
Superfund Sites
0
Total Releases
7.5M lbs

Air Quality History (2020–2024)

EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.

Year Good Moderate Unhealthy (SG) Max AQI
2024 186 (92%) 17 0 93
2023 133 (66%) 52 16 159
2022 191 (95%) 11 0 80
2021 181 (87%) 27 0 100
2020 187 (92%) 12 4 115
2024 Good Air Quality: 92% of days
Median AQI: 38

Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)

For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Wisconsin, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.

Water Systems (21)

System System pop (SDWIS) Violations
PORTAGE WATERWORKS 10,437 0
LODI WATERWORKS 3,146 3
POYNETTE WATERWORKS 2,520 2
PARDEEVILLE WATERWORKS 2,151 0
HARMONY GROVE SAN DIST 1,950 0
RANDOLPH WATER DEPT 1,800 20
RIO WATERWORKS 1,095 1
ARLINGTON WATERWORKS 946 5
WYOCENA WATERWORKS 768 0
SADDLE RIDGE ESTATES 700 2
FRIESLAND WATERWORKS 345 3
SUBURBAN HEIGHTS MHP 90 0
FOX MARQUETTE MOBILE HOME PARK 72 0
BREEZY POINT MHP 2 51 0
RIVER VALLEY APTS NORTH 48 0
RIVER VALLEY APTS SOUTH 48 2
HARMONY MOBILE MANOR 45 0
PINE HAVEN ESTATES 45 1
CAPITAL HILL MOBILE HOME PARK 36 0
BREEZY POINT MHP 1 30 0
DUCK INN MHP 2 25 0

TRI Facilities (15)

# Facility Total Releases
1 Columbia Energy Center 6.4M lbs
2 Encapsys LLC 911.4K lbs
3 United Wisconsin Grain Producers 66.2K lbs
4 American Packaging Corp 48.0K lbs
5 Energizer Manufacturing - Portage Plant 45.7K lbs
6 Didion Ethanol LLC 27.3K lbs
7 Grande Cheese Co Wyocena 5.3K lbs
8 Fall River Foundry Co 3.9K lbs
9 Fxi Inc. - Portage 826 lbs
10 Cardinal Fg 589 lbs
11 Everbrite LLC 369 lbs
12 Ek Machine Co Inc 242 lbs
13 Metalcraft of Mayville - Fall River 168 lbs
14 Henry G. Meigs Inc. 0 lbs
15 Associated Milk Producers Inc. 0 lbs

Cities in Columbia (10)

Portage
6 facilities · 2 water
Fall River
3 facilities · 0 water
Pardeeville
2 facilities · 7 water
Friesland
1 facilities · 1 water
Wyocena
1 facilities · 1 water
Cambria
1 facilities · 0 water
Lodi
0 facilities · 4 water
Arlington
0 facilities · 1 water
Poynette
0 facilities · 1 water
Rio
0 facilities · 1 water

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the environmental risk level in Columbia, Wisconsin?
Columbia, WI has an environmental risk score of 54/100 (Moderate Risk), based on 15 TRI facilities, 0 Superfund sites, and 21 water systems on record. 9 water systems have health-based violations. Source: EPA TRI, SDWIS, and Superfund NPL.
Are there Superfund sites in Columbia?
No Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) sites are currently registered in Columbia, WI in the EPA database.
How many toxic release facilities are in Columbia?
Columbia, WI has 15 TRI-reporting facilities on record with the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, with a combined total of 7.5M lbs in reported toxic releases. TRI facilities self-report annual chemical release data to the EPA.
What is the air quality in Columbia?
In 2024, Columbia, WI recorded a median AQI of 38 and a peak AQI of 93. 92% of monitored days had "Good" air quality (AQI 0–50). Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County.
Is the drinking water safe in Columbia?
Columbia, WI has 21 EPA-regulated water systems. 9 systems have reported health-based violations (MCL exceedances). A past violation does not necessarily mean water is currently unsafe. For current water quality, contact your local water utility. Source: EPA SDWIS.
What environmental agencies cover Columbia?
Environmental compliance in Columbia, Wisconsin is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level and the Wisconsin state environmental agency. Facilities report to the EPA Toxic Release Inventory, water systems are regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and contaminated sites are managed under the Superfund program. Contact your state environmental agency for local concerns.

What does this county environmental profile show?

This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.

Related

Data sourced from U.S. EPA environmental datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEnviro