Hanscom AFB, MA tap water
Supplied mostly by Hanscom Family Housing (Landings), 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 figure0.2–2.7 ppm (Low)
Typical 2.3 ppm
Low, so water changes lower your tank's nitrate well.
From the utility that supplies yours: Bedford Water Dept. and MWRA, which supplies Hanscom Family Housing (Landings); Bedford Water Dept. and MWRA, which supplies Hanscom Afb (2013–2024).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Supplier's figure16 ppm
Soft. Good for tetras, rasboras and most shrimp. Livebearers, snails and African cichlids prefer harder water.
From the utility that supplies yours: MWRA, which supplies Hanscom Family Housing (Landings); MWRA, which supplies Hanscom Afb.
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
Supplier's figure40–43 ppm
Typical 42 ppm
Moderate buffering. pH should stay fairly steady.
From the utility that supplies yours: MWRA, which supplies Hanscom Family Housing (Landings); MWRA, which supplies Hanscom Afb.
pH
Supplier's figure6.5–9.7
Typical 8.5
Alkaline. Many utilities raise pH to protect pipes. Stability matters more than the exact number.
From the utility that supplies yours: Bedford Water Dept. and MWRA, which supplies Hanscom Family Housing (Landings); Bedford Water Dept. and MWRA, which supplies Hanscom Afb (2017–2018).
Who supplies Hanscom AFB, MA
Hanscom Family Housing (Landings)
Serves 66% of residents · Buys water from Hanscom Afb · Chloramine
Hanscom Afb
Serves 5% of residents · Buys water from Bedford Water Dept. · 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.