Columbia, IL tap water
Supplied by Columbia. 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 figure8.9–12 ppm (Low)
Typical 8.9 ppm
Water changes can't take your tank's nitrate below this level.
From the utility that supplies yours: Illinois American Water – East St. Louis, which supplies Columbia (2025).
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 figure142–147 ppm
Typical 145 ppm
Strong buffering. pH stays steady and hard to lower without RO water.
From the utility that supplies yours: Illinois American Water – East St. Louis, which supplies Columbia (2017–2019).
pH
Not published yet
We haven't found this number yet. A drop test kit gives you your exact reading.
- Columbia adds phosphate to protect pipes. It can feed algae in tanks without much plant growth.
Who supplies Columbia, IL
Columbia
Serves 93% of residents · Buys water from Illinois American Water – East St. Louis · 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.