Bell, CA tap water
Supplied mostly by Gswc - Bell, Bell Gardens, plus 3 other utilities. Here's what the water means for your fish.
Disinfectant
Chlorine or chloramine
Utilities here use chlorine or chloramine, depending on which one serves your address. Chlorine slowly gases off from standing water; chloramine doesn't.
Safety for fish and shrimp
Nitrite (NO₂)
Not detected (Low)
Not detected in testing, so any nitrite in your tank comes from the tank itself.
From EPA monitoring data (2016–2019).
Nitrate (NO₃)
Up to 12 ppm (Worth knowing)
Typical 12 ppm
Water changes can't take your tank's nitrate below this level.
From EPA monitoring data; Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Maywood Mutual Water Co. #2; California Water Board lab results, measured before treatment (2012–2026).
Copper at home taps
Up to 0.09 ppm (Low)
Typical 0.06 ppm
Low. Water that sits in household pipes overnight can carry more than this.
From California Water Board lab results (2025).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Supplier's figure82–291 ppm
Typical 234 ppm
Hard. Ideal for livebearers and African cichlids. Soft-water species may struggle to breed.
From the utility that supplies yours: Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Gswc - Bell, Bell Gardens; Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Maywood Mutual Water Co. #2; Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Maywood Mutual Water Co. #3; California Water Board lab results, measured before treatment (2023–2026).
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
Supplier's figure68–210 ppm
Typical 106 ppm
Moderate buffering. pH should stay fairly steady.
From the utility that supplies yours: Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Gswc - Bell, Bell Gardens; California Water Board lab results; Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Maywood Mutual Water Co. #3; California Water Board lab results, measured before treatment (2023–2026).
pH
Supplier's figure7.7–8.7
Typical 8.2
Alkaline. Many utilities raise pH to protect pipes. Stability matters more than the exact number.
From the utility that supplies yours: Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Gswc - Bell, Bell Gardens; California Water Board lab results; EPA monitoring data; California Water Board lab results, measured before treatment (2016–2026).
Total dissolved solids
Supplier's figure214–666 ppm
Typical 535 ppm
A rough measure of everything dissolved in the water. RO water reads near 0, so TDS is a quick way to compare waters.
From the utility that supplies yours: Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Gswc - Bell, Bell Gardens; Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Maywood Mutual Water Co. #2; Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal., which supplies Maywood Mutual Water Co. #3; California Water Board lab results, measured before treatment (2023–2026).
Who supplies Bell, CA
Gswc - Bell, Bell Gardens
Serves 79% of residents · Buys water from Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal. · Chloramine
Maywood Mutual Water Co. #2
Serves 7% of residents · Buys water from Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal. · Chloramine
Maywood Mutual Water Co. #3
Serves 7% of residents · Buys water from Metropolitan Water Dist. of So. Cal. · Chloramine
Tract 180 Mutual Water Co.
Serves 6% of residents · Groundwater (wells) · Chlorine
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.
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Compiled by Shoal & Stem from public records. Free to cite with a link.