How bad is my tap water?

[110gTj]

Here is a report from 2008 in my city

[FONT=&quot] City of Davenport[/FONT][FONT=&quot] [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] 2008 Contaminant Data Table [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] Florida[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Water System # [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] 6530431[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] ** [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] Results in the [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] Level Detected [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] column for radiological and inorganic contaminants[/FONT][FONT=&quot] are from[/FONT] the highest detected level at any sampling point.[FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Contaminant and[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Unit of Measurement[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Dates of sampling (mo./yr.)[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] MCL [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] Violation[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Yes/No[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Level [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] Detected **[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] MCLG[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] MCL[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Likely Source of Contamination[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Radiological Contaminants[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Alpha (pCi/l)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 1.7[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 5[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Erosion of natural deposits[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Radium 226 + 228 or
combined Radium (pCi/l) (pCi/L)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 1.5[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 5[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Erosion of natural deposits[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Uranium (μg/L)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 2.3[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 30[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Erosion of natural deposits[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] Inorganic Contaminants[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Barium (ppm)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0.015[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 2[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 2[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Discharge of drilling wastes; discharge from metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Chromium (ppb)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 4.77[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 100[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 100[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Discharge from steel and pulp mills; erosion of natural deposits[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Nickel (ppb)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 1.04[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] N/A[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 100[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Pollution from mining and refining operations. Natural occurrence in soil.[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Nitrate ([/FONT][FONT=&quot]as Nitrogen[/FONT][FONT=&quot]) (ppm)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0.763[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 10[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 10[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Runoff from fertilizer use; leaching from septic tanks, sewage; erosion of natural deposits[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Selenium (ppb)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 2.226[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 50[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 50[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Discharge from petroleum and metal refineries; erosion of natural deposits; discharge from mines[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Sodium (ppm)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 4.93[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] n/a[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 150[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Salt water intrusion, leaching from soil[/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] TTHMs and Stage 1 Disinfectant/Disinfection By-Product (D/DBP) Contaminants[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Chlorine[/FONT][FONT=&quot]: Level Detected is the 2007 monthly average for residual Chlorine; Range of Results is the range of 2007 monthly Chlorine residual level results (lowest to highest) at the individual sampling sites. HAA5s and TTHMs: Level Detected is from a single sample.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]


[FONT=&quot] Contaminant and Unit of Measurement[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] Dates of [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] Sampling[/FONT][FONT=&quot] (mo./yr.)[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] MCL [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] Violation[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Yes/No[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Level [/FONT] [FONT=&quot]Detected[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Range[/FONT][FONT=&quot] of Results[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] MCLG or MRDLG[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] MCL or MRDL[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Likely Source of Contamination[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Chlorine (ppm)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] 1/08 - 12/08[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0.7[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0.5 – 1.1[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] MRDLG: 4[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] MRDL: 4.0[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Water additive used to control microbes[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] Haloacetic Acids (five) (HAA5) (ppb)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] 7/08[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 8.05[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] n/a[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] n/a[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] MCL = 60[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] By-product of drinking water disinfection[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] TTHM [Total trihalomethanes] (ppb)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] 7/08[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] N[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 18.8[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] n/a[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] n/a[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] MCL = 80[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] By-product of drinking water disinfection[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT] [FONT=&quot] Lead and Copper (Tap Water)[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Contaminant and[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Unit of Measurement[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Action Level[/FONT]​

Violation

[FONT=&quot] Yes / No[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 90th Percentile[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] Result[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Number of Sampling Sites Exceeding the Action Level[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]MCLG[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Action Level[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Monitoring Period[/FONT]​

Month / Year

[FONT=&quot] Likely Source of Contamination[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Copper (tap water) ppm)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] No[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0.817[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 1.3[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] AL[/FONT][FONT=&quot]=1.3[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 6/08 – 9/08[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Corrosion of household plumbing systems; erosion of natural deposits; leaching from wood preservatives[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] Lead (tap water) (ppb)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot] No[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 2.47[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 1[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 0[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] AL[/FONT][FONT=&quot]=15[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] 6/08 – 9/08[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot] Corrosion of household plumbing systems, erosion of natural deposits[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

These reports are nice, but useless when it comes to figuring out what is really in your water, at your tap. What may be there one week may be gone the next. The reports are just a snapshot in time... and always are the snapshot that comply with Federal regulations!

For example, my water is normally 80-90 ppm TDS out of the tap. For about a 3 week stretch this summer, it went down to 20-30ppm, then went back to 80-90. I've also had nitrates come and go. Water quality will also depend on the pipes in your house.

In the end, if you want consistent water parameters, an RO/DI filter is the only way to guarantee your water is good. Many people use tap water (treated with a dechlorinator) with no issues, but I wouldn't really let the water quality make the decision for you.

 

[melosu58]

Working for a water municipality I would say no tap water for a reef tank. FW and FOWLR SW tanks you would be OK but still better if you dont use tap IMO. They dont show everything in those Quality reports. What kind of tank is this water for?

 

[thincat]

That's interesting because I just checked my TDS this morning out of my basin that I hook my RO/DI to...I got a reading of 69 out of the pipe and 0 out of my unit. It's hard to believe tht the EPA allows a max. of 500 TDS out of your faucet.