Chesapeake, VA tap water
Supplied mostly by City of Chesapeake - Northwest River Sys, 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
Nitrite (NO₂)
Not detected (Low)
Not detected in testing, so any nitrite in your tank comes from the tank itself.
From EPA monitoring data (2012–2013).
Nitrate (NO₃)
0.3–0.7 ppm (Low)
Typical 0.7 ppm
Low, so water changes lower your tank's nitrate well.
From EPA monitoring data; City of Portsmouth, which supplies City of Chesapeake - Western Branch Sys (2012–2016).
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)
26–105 ppm
Typical 66 ppm
Moderate buffering. pH should stay fairly steady.
From EPA monitoring data; City of Portsmouth, which supplies City of Chesapeake - Western Branch Sys (2012–2019).
pH
7–7.8
Typical 7
Most community fish do well here. Stable water matters more than the exact number.
From EPA monitoring data; City of Portsmouth, which supplies City of Chesapeake - Western Branch Sys (2014–2019).
- City of Chesapeake - Western Branch Sys adds phosphate to protect pipes. It can feed algae in tanks without much plant growth.
Who supplies Chesapeake, VA
City of Chesapeake - Northwest River Sys
Serves 79% of residents · Lake or river water · Chloramine
City of Chesapeake - Western Branch Sys
Serves 9% of residents · Buys water from City of Portsmouth · 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.