Buckhorn, CA tap water
Supplied mostly by Awa Buckhorn Plant, plus 2 other utilities. Here's what the water means for your fish.
Disinfectant
Chlorine
Your water is treated with chlorine. It slowly gases off from standing water, and any water conditioner removes it.
Safety for fish and shrimp
Nitrate (NO₃)
Not detected (Low)
Not detected in testing, so water changes lower your tank's nitrate well.
From California Water Board lab results, measured before treatment; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadow # 1, measured before treatment; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadows Unit No. 2, measured before treatment (2023–2026).
Copper at home taps
Up to 0.08 ppm (Low)
Typically not detected
Not detected in testing. Water that sits in household pipes overnight can still pick some up.
From California Water Board lab results (2023–2024).
Water chemistry
General hardness
7 ppm
Soft. Good for tetras, rasboras and most shrimp. Livebearers, snails and African cichlids prefer harder water.
From California Water Board lab results, measured before treatment; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadow # 1, measured before treatment; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadows Unit No. 2, measured before treatment (2023–2026).
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
12–13 ppm
Typical 13 ppm
Little buffering. pH can drop quickly between water changes, especially with CO₂ or an older tank.
From California Water Board lab results; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadow # 1; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadows Unit No. 2 (2023–2026).
pH
6.6
Most community fish do well here. Stable water matters more than the exact number.
From California Water Board lab results, measured before treatment; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadow # 1, measured before treatment; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadows Unit No. 2, measured before treatment (2023–2026).
Total dissolved solids
25 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 California Water Board lab results, measured before treatment; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadow # 1, measured before treatment; Awa Buckhorn Plant, which supplies First Mace Meadows Unit No. 2, measured before treatment (2023–2026).
- Awa Buckhorn Plant, First Mace Meadow # 1 and First Mace Meadows Unit No. 2 add phosphate to protect pipes. It can feed algae in tanks without much plant growth.
Who supplies Buckhorn, CA
Awa Buckhorn Plant
Serves 53% of residents · Lake or river water · Chlorine
First Mace Meadow # 1
Serves 8% of residents · Buys water from Awa Buckhorn Plant · Chlorine
First Mace Meadows Unit No. 2
Serves 8% of residents · Buys water from Awa Buckhorn Plant · 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.