Arlington, VA tap water
Supplied by Arlington County. Here's what its water means for your fish.
Disinfectant
Chloramine
Your water is treated with chloramine. Unlike chlorine, it doesn't gas off when water sits out, and many pitcher and fridge filters aren't rated to remove it. Conditioners that list chloramine on the label break it apart, which frees a little ammonia. Some utilities switch to plain chlorine for a few weeks a year.
Safety for fish and shrimp
Nitrate (NO₃)
Supplier's figure5.8–6.6 ppm (Low)
Typical 6.2 ppm
Water changes can't take your tank's nitrate below this level.
From the utility that supplies yours: Washington Aqueduct Division., which supplies Arlington County (2015–2017).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Not published yet
We haven't found this number yet. A drop test kit gives you your exact reading.
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
Supplier's figure60 ppm
Moderate buffering. pH should stay fairly steady.
From the utility that supplies yours: Washington Aqueduct Division., which supplies Arlington County (2015).
pH
Supplier's figure7.7
Most community fish do well here. Stable water matters more than the exact number.
From the utility that supplies yours: Washington Aqueduct Division., which supplies Arlington County (2017).
- Arlington County adds phosphate to protect pipes. It can feed algae in tanks without much plant growth.
Who supplies Arlington, VA
- 2024 water quality report
Arlington County
Serves 99% of residents · Buys water from Washington Aqueduct Division. · Chloramine
Our data comes from public records and is still incomplete. Many utilities don't publish every number, so we're adding more all the time. Your city's range is a starting point: testing your own tap is the only way to know exactly what's in it.
Tap water lookup covers US cities only for now. Want to know why it matters? Read our story on tap water.
Compiled by Shoal & Stem from public records. Free to cite with a link.