Columbia Installation ordinance (§ 27-137)
Chapter 27: Utilities · Article III. Water and Light System
In short: You can't install an air conditioning or refrigeration system that connects to or uses city water and light department water unless it has water conservation equipment, such as cooling towers or evaporative condensers, that lets all the water be reused with only normal evaporative losses.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
No person shall install equipment for an air conditioning system or a refrigeration system which requires a connection to, or which will use water from the water system of the water and light department of the city, unless such equipment includes water conservation equipment such as cooling towers, evaporative condensers or other water cooling equipment which will allow reuse of all water with only the normal evaporative losses.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 27-137
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.