Burnham, IL tap water
Supplied mostly by Burnham, plus 1 other utility. Here's what the 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 figure1.4–1.6 ppm (Low)
Typical 1.6 ppm
Low, so water changes lower your tank's nitrate well.
From the utility that supplies yours: Chicago, which supplies Burnham; Hammond Water Works Department and Chicago, which supplies Calumet City (2012–2025).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Supplier's figure130–151 ppm
Typical 140 ppm
Moderately soft to medium. Suits most community fish and plants.
From the utility that supplies yours: Chicago, which supplies Burnham; Chicago, which supplies Calumet City.
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
Supplier's figure96–126 ppm
Typical 110 ppm
Strong buffering. pH stays steady and hard to lower without RO water.
From the utility that supplies yours: Chicago and Calumet City, which supplies Burnham; EPA monitoring data (2014–2019).
pH
Supplier's figure7.7–9.4
Typical 8.3
Alkaline. Many utilities raise pH to protect pipes. Stability matters more than the exact number.
From the utility that supplies yours: Chicago and Calumet City, which supplies Burnham; EPA monitoring data (2014–2025).
- Burnham and Calumet City add phosphate to protect pipes. It can feed algae in tanks without much plant growth.
Who supplies Burnham, IL
Burnham
Serves 94% of residents · Buys water from Chicago · Chloramine
Calumet City
Serves 8% of residents · Buys water from Hammond Water Works Department · 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.
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Compiled by Shoal & Stem from public records. Free to cite with a link.