Columbia plumbing, water damage and weather alerts
Alert history and live alerts for Columbia, who supplies the water, and who to call for permits, licenses and repairs.
What weather threatens plumbing in Columbia?
Short answer: In the last 12 months, the National Weather Service issued 14 freeze or cold, 41 flood, 4 winter storm and 0 tropical alerts covering Columbia, as of October 30, 2026.
Columbia is the state capital, about 40 miles southeast of Newberry. Columbia Water serves the city and much of the surrounding area.
Weather alerts for Richland County
No active weather alerts for the area right now. Water and weather center
Flood, freeze and tropical alerts for Columbia
National Weather Service flood, freeze, winter and tropical alerts covering Columbia, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive of NWS products.
| Issued | Alert | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2026 | Flood Warning | NWS text (CAE) |
| Oct 12, 2026 | Flood Warning | NWS text (CAE) |
| Oct 11, 2026 | Flood Advisory | NWS text (CAE) |
| Sep 22, 2026 | Flood Advisory | NWS text (CAE) |
| Sep 11, 2026 | Flood Advisory | NWS text (CAE) |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Flood Advisory | NWS text (CAE) |
| Aug 27, 2026 | Flood Advisory | NWS text (CAE) |
| Aug 13, 2026 | Flood Advisory | NWS text (CAE) |
| Aug 10, 2026 | Flash Flood Warning | NWS text (CAE) |
| Aug 10, 2026 | Flood Advisory | NWS text (CAE) |
| Aug 6, 2026 | Flash Flood Warning | NWS text (CAE) |
| Aug 6, 2026 | Flash Flood Warning | NWS text (CAE) |
Who to contact in Columbia
- Water and sewer: City of Columbia Water (serves Columbia and large parts of Richland and Lexington counties, including much of Irmo). Call them about main breaks, meter shutoffs and boil-water notices.
- Forecast office: NWS Columbia, SC. NWS point forecast for Columbia.
- Permits: water heater replacements, re-pipes and sewer line work usually need a plumbing permit. Start at the Columbia local government website.
- Licenses: In South Carolina, residential plumbing work over $500 requires a license from the Residential Builders Commission at the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR). Commercial plumbing work over $10,000 is licensed by the Contractor's Licensing Board. Check either on the LLR license lookup before you hire. License lookup.
- Insurance questions: South Carolina Department of Insurance, 803-737-6160.
Plumbers based in or near Columbia
Listings are businesses with an office in or near Columbia. Many others serve the whole area; see the full directory.
Nearby
Common questions in Columbia
Does Columbia get freeze warnings?
In the last 12 months the National Weather Service issued 14 freeze, frost or cold alerts covering Columbia (as of October 30, 2026). Even a few hard freezes a year can split pipes in crawl spaces and exterior walls. Freeze prep.
How often does Columbia get flood alerts?
41 flood watch, warning or advisory alerts in the last 12 months. Homeowners policies do not cover flood. Flood vs water damage.
Who do I call about a water main break or boil-water notice in Columbia?
Your water provider: City of Columbia Water. What to do during a boil-water notice.
How do I check a plumber working in Columbia?
In South Carolina, residential plumbing work over $500 requires a license from the Residential Builders Commission at the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR). Commercial plumbing work over $10,000 is licensed by the Contractor's Licensing Board. Check either on the LLR license lookup before you hire. License lookup.