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All Forms & Documents

A valid street address is required to apply for a building or zoning permit.

If your project does not yet have an address, application can be made through Planning and Development Services or by calling +1 (803) 545-3400. Addresses within City limits are assigned by Department of Engineering in consultation with 911 services.

If your property lies outside City limits, contact the appropriate County (Lexington County or Richland County) for their addressing procedure.

All files below are in PDF format unless otherwise indicated.

Address Request

Address Request Application

For Existing lots: Copy of recorded plat (can be obtained from Richland County Register of Deeds)
Richland County Register of Deeds
Richland County Judicial Center
1701 Main Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 576 1910 or (803) 576 1913

For Subdivisions: Copy of recorded overall subdivision lot and street site plan and street name approval letter from Richland County 911. The Planning Commission assigns new street names for new subdivisions during the site plan review process. For street name assignments or changes, contact  +1 (803) 545-3420.

For Subdivided Lots: Copy of City approved and stamped plat.

For Apartments/Malls: Floor plan/store layout.

For new tenant space within an existing building: Building floor plan with existing addresses

Please submit the Address Request Form and supporting information to the City of Columbia Development Center. Expect a 3-5 day turnaround for residential addresses, longer for subdivisions and apartments.

Backflow Prevention Program

Property owners that install systems which could potentially drain non-City or used water back into the City’s system should install backflow preventers. These systems might include irrigation systems connected to the City’s system that are also serviced by a well, cooling systems with secondary storage containers, or other types of systems.

These systems must be inspected annually by an approved tester. In addition, they must also be tested by an approved tester immediately after installation or repairs of any kind. The inspector should submit a Field Test Report.

Forms and Applications

Informational Documents

What is a cross-connection?
A cross-connection is any temporary or permanent connection between a public water system or consumer’s potable (drinking) water system and any source or system containing non-potable water or other substances. An example is the piping between a public water system or consumer’s potable water system and an auxiliary water system, cooling system, or irrigation system.

What is a backflow preventer?
Backflow Preventers are mechanical plumbing devices installed in a plumbing system to prevent water from flowing backward in the system. A properly installed, tested and maintained backflow preventer at the service entrance to a building or property can reliably prevent the backflow of water of an unknown quality from flowing back into the community water system.

What can cause backflow?
Backflow can be caused by a sudden drop in the water pressure in a public water main, which can create a sub-atmospheric condition. For example, if a drop in pressure occurs while a hose is in a bucket of dirty water, that water could be sucked back into the public water system, potentially contaminating the water for other users. A drop in pressure could be caused by a variety of things, including a water main break, loss of power at a pump station, etc. Backflow preventers keep this from happening.

Whose responsibility is it to install a backflow preventer?
It is the customer’s responsibility to purchase and install the backflow preventer. The backflow preventer is installed to protect the public water supply against possible hazards in the customer’s plumbing system. The actual or potential cross connection belongs to the property owner and not to regulatory officials or the water utility. Once the water goes beyond the meter, water quality could be altered. The water utility does not want the water back, nor do the water customers want to purchase used water. If a backflow preventer is required to keep the water safe, then the person who created the cross connection (actual or potential) should purchase, install and maintain the backflow preventer.

Bids, RFQs, and RFPs (LBE, MPP, SOP)

Guidelines & Policy

Forms & Applications

Informational Documents

Development and Utility Construction

Encroachment Permit Application

The Department of Engineering processes applications for certain encroachment permits that have been submitted through Planning & Development Services.

Encroachment Permits for any work to be performed in a road right-of-way located within the City limits are processed by staff of the Department of Engineering Administration Division and approved by the Director of Engineering.

City of Columbia Encroachment Permit Application
SCDOT Encroachment Permit Application

Liability, Hold Harmless, and Indemnification Agreement

Record Drawings

Columbia Water requires final record drawings as part of our process to accept any approved, newly constructed water, sanitary sewer, storm drain, and/or street facility into the City of Columbia’s utility system for operation and maintenance.

Forms and Applications

  • Completed Record Drawing Checklist: Departmental staff will use this checklist to review all projects. Engineers may find it helpful to use the most up-to-date checklist as they prepare drawings. This checklist may be submitted with the application to help Engineers include all relevant information. It should include the project name, location, phase and City File Number.
  • Form #2: This form must be the original signed by the Developer and include the project name, location, phase and City File Number.
  • Form #3: This form is a lien waiver and must be the original signed by the contractor who installed the pipe and include the project name, location, phase and City File Number. This form must be signed and certified by the authorized representative of the utility company.

Stormwater Regulatory Documents and Forms

Effective January 25, 2010, the City of Columbia has been delegated review authority over all stormwater-related land disturbance activities associated with construction by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).

Regulatory Documents and Tools

Forms and Applications

Informational Documents

Educational Documents

Stormwater Ordinances

Article I. In General
Sec. 21-1-21-30. – Reserved.

Article II. Stormwater Quantity & Quality Control

Article III. Flood Damage Prevention

Wastewater: Capacity Assurance, FOG Program, Haul-A-Waste, Industrial Pretreatment

City of Columbia 201/208 Service Area Map

Final EPA Consent Decree

Capacity Assurance Program (CAP)

Fats, Oils, and Grease Program

Haul-A-Waste

Industrial Pretreatment

Wastewater: Sewer Use Ordinance

Water Meter and Sewer Tap Sales

The Department of Engineering Administration Division staff can provide information concerning water, sanitary sewer and storm drainage lines that are operated and maintained by the City of Columbia. You may contact this office at +1 (803) 545-3400 to find out more.

Forms and Applications

Informational Documents

Water Service Ordinance

Water & Sewer Rates Ordinance