Imperial, MO tap water
Supplied mostly by Jefferson County Pwsd 10, 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 figure1.8–6.2 ppm (Low)
Typical 5.8 ppm
Water changes can't take your tank's nitrate below this level.
From the utility that supplies yours: Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties, which supplies Jefferson County Pwsd 10; Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties, which supplies Jefferson Co Cons Pwsd C 1 (2012–2019).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Supplier's figure67–223 ppm
Typical 142 ppm
Moderately soft to medium. Suits most community fish and plants.
From the utility that supplies yours: Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties, which supplies Jefferson County Pwsd 10; Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties, which supplies Jefferson Co Cons Pwsd C 1.
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
Supplier's figure129–200 ppm
Typical 165 ppm
Strong buffering. pH stays steady and hard to lower without RO water.
From the utility that supplies yours: Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties, which supplies Jefferson County Pwsd 10; Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties, which supplies Jefferson Co Cons Pwsd C 1 (2025).
pH
Supplier's figure9.4–10.2
Typical 9.8
Alkaline. Many utilities raise pH to protect pipes. Stability matters more than the exact number.
From the utility that supplies yours: Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties, which supplies Jefferson County Pwsd 10; Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties, which supplies Jefferson Co Cons Pwsd C 1.
- Jefferson County Pwsd 10 and Jefferson Co Cons Pwsd C 1 add phosphate to protect pipes. It can feed algae in tanks without much plant growth.
- Jefferson County Pwsd 10 and Jefferson Co Cons Pwsd C 1 soften their water at the plant, so it may be softer than the local groundwater.
Who supplies Imperial, MO
Jefferson County Pwsd 10
Serves 68% of residents · Buys water from Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties · Chloramine
Jefferson Co Cons Pwsd C 1
Serves 12% of residents · Buys water from Missouri American Water – St. Louis St. Charles Counties · 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.