# How bad is YOUR tap water.



## toxicmegakitten (Feb 18, 2014)

API liquid master test kit, out of the tap, District of Columbia tap water.

Ammonia 0.5-1
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20-40
pH 7.6
Phosphates and Silicates were high (didn't write down the number).
Disgusting.

Maybe I need to get a Brita for my own drinking water.

How does yours compare? Now I know why my Nitrates are never below 40.


----------



## atreis (Jan 15, 2013)

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
pH 8.2
Phosphates - vary seasonally - 0 most of the year, but non-zero Aug-Sep (after fertilizer has made it into the ground water)
Silicates - don't know
TDS - vary seasonally - typically highest in the winter at 240, lowest in summer at 180-200

I'm on a well, in a rural area near lots of farm fields.

Assuming the measurement is accurate, your Nitrate level is 2 to 4 times the US EPA enforceable limit for public water systems. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=28&po=8


----------



## Borsig (Nov 21, 2012)

Nitrate cant be right there....

As for me? My well might as well be straight to the lake. Its perfect for malawai


----------



## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

I have the same readings for ammonia because of all the chloramines they put in the water. Had real problems fishless cycling my tank because it was a while before I realised the readings were so high.

In Scotland though, most people think the water is superb and comes from a babbling mountain brook or something, but in the cities that's blissful ignorance, and something I only noticed when I started keeping fish. I used to HMA filter it when I had discus, but it's so bad that the lead-removing cartridge which was supposed to be good for about 2,000 gallons only did about 600. I don't filter it now because it's too expensive replacing the cartridges every few weeks.


----------



## JM45acp (Oct 19, 2014)

Well water in Ct.
Ammonia: 0ppm
PH: 7.0
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 10


----------



## Lake Malawi Crazy (Oct 31, 2014)

Mine are right out of the tap:

pH - 7.8
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0


----------



## toxicmegakitten (Feb 18, 2014)

Double checked with another kit. Definately at least 20 nitrates out the tap. Jealous of the rest of you all. In DC, we barely have passable roads, so I'm not surprised our tap water doesn't make EPA standards. Of course an email to city went ignored.


----------



## Borsig (Nov 21, 2012)

Dont know how people live in Cities and drink that recycled poop that they pass as water. I work in Newport news and the smell of it fromt the water fountans is unbearable.

My boss has tried prime and can't keep anything alive in his 75. I told him the water was so bad even with prime, nothing can really live in it and thrive without RO. He was shocked the water was that bad. His wife has a degree in Marine biology, but is disinterested in the fish tank, go figure. If Fish can't live in it - should you really be drinking it? Too many people crammed into a space. NoVA is a prime example of just that..... I have no idea how you live there. I cant stand to even drive through it. Those of us from Appalacia and Rural virgina see NoVA as a prime example of a problem that we fear will spread our way.

They are already trying to ship their trash down the coast becasue they dont have room for it....

I'd say RO and a big food grade drum of RO water is your best bet for clean, usable water.

tested this AM-

PH - 8.2
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0 
Nitrite - 0
KH - 15


----------



## KRB65 (Nov 28, 2014)

Tampa tap.

Ph 7.6-7.8
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0


----------



## Cyphound (Oct 20, 2014)

Just wondering if all of you are doing any of these readings after the water has sat for a time. Ph can be affected by gases in the water.


----------



## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

Ph 7.5-8
Kh 8
Gh about 18
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
Phosfate 0
Chlorine 0

Location: Holland


----------



## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

Well my tap water fluctuates:

Ph is now at 7.4
Ammonia is 1ppm
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0

The Ph started at 7.4 and when the city added chloramines it went up to 8.4 for many months and now (after my Goldhead Comp died) I've discovered it's back down to 7.4. Needless to say I at least check the Ph out of the tap every time I do a water change.


----------



## workharddieproud (Nov 7, 2013)

Federal Law limits nitrate level in drinking water to 10ppm. Filters you buy in a store won't remove nitrate and neither will most you buy online or they are ONLY good for not many gallons. You would need to buy a more expensive home filter that SPECIFICALLY removes nitrates. I did buy one for 180.00 and it works. I HAD right at 10ppm in my drinking water.


----------



## Mschn99 (Dec 24, 2012)

As was said above, it violates federal regulation to have drinking water supplied by any company over 10ppm. The only thing that does not effect is a private well. So if you are on a public water supply and have more than that, i would be getting the ball rolling on reporting that the the appropriate state and local agencies as well as the EPA.

http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants ... itrate.cfm


----------



## joescaper1 (Feb 14, 2013)

toxicmegakitten,

In the public water quality report for Washington DC, It has nitrate levels at a high of 2.6 ppm for 2012, and 3 ppm for 2013 (I imagine the 2014 report has not yet been released). Makes me question the accuracy of your test kit.


----------



## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

I wouldn't question it too much, I have a 40 PPM nitrate level right out of the tap, I questioned my testing and had it tested by a testing lab that I use for work. I don't care what the EPA says, it isn't very uncommon in many jurisdictions. I design painting and powder coating systems for a living, and we have to have each MFG water source before designing a pre treatment system and you would be shocked at what we find on a regular basis.

The law actually is written based on an average and not at anytime, this is typical for any rules/Regulations and Laws..............There is a loop hole in them all. Benn down this road Many times!


----------



## phish phan (Jan 1, 2015)

in Putnam,CT. USA I just tested my city tap water for nitrate and got 25 ppm. 7.5ph


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

My water is perfect. I can't believe so many members have such bad water. I'd definitely pursue it with your city/town...what do you have to lose? Unless you have a private well and you personally would have to incur the expense to drill a new one.


----------



## BDASTRK (Dec 12, 2014)

DJRansome said:


> My water is perfect. I can't believe so many members have such bad water. I'd definitely pursue it with your city/town...what do you have to lose? Unless you have a private well and you personally would have to incur the expense to drill a new one.


Because its a waste of time, Been down the road with water quality issues with my customers, bottom line is simple the EPA regs actually has guidelines, these guidelines are averages. Bottom line is this.............They are big, we are small! You nor I are not going to change a **** thing, not going to happen. When I see a Billion dollar a year company push for cleaner water and fail...........its nothing more then a waste of breath! I dont think the reason " Your water quality sucks for my fish tank " is going to work either.


----------



## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

The EPA isn't against you, and honestly if i was getting readings of high nitrates in my water i'd send a sample to a independent lab to have my readings verified. You'd be getting back other information you can't even test for at home which is a bit useful. It can be as simple as eroding pipes beyond the testing area's on the way to your house.


----------



## Rare7 (Dec 31, 2014)

Out of my tap, 
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate - 0
Nitrite - 0

Im a bit off on these as i havent done any test in some time....but it was somewhere in
ph 7-8
KH 4 
GH 7


----------

