Ken Caryl, CO tap water
Supplied mostly by Southwest Metropolitan WSD, plus 2 other utilities. 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 figure0.3–0.8 ppm (Low)
Typical 0.4 ppm
Low, so water changes lower your tank's nitrate well.
From the utility that supplies yours: Denver Water Board, which supplies Southwest Metropolitan WSD; Denver Water Board, which supplies Ken Caryl WSD; Denver Water Board, which supplies Meadowbrook WD (2025).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Supplier's figure55–124 ppm
Typical 105 ppm
Moderately soft to medium. Suits most community fish and plants.
From the utility that supplies yours: Denver Water Board, which supplies Southwest Metropolitan WSD; Denver Water Board, which supplies Ken Caryl WSD; Denver Water Board, which supplies Meadowbrook WD (2025).
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
Supplier's figure41–82 ppm
Typical 65 ppm
Moderate buffering. pH should stay fairly steady.
From the utility that supplies yours: Denver Water Board, which supplies Southwest Metropolitan WSD; Denver Water Board, which supplies Ken Caryl WSD; Denver Water Board, which supplies Meadowbrook WD (2025).
pH
Not published yet
We haven't found this number yet. A drop test kit gives you your exact reading.
Total dissolved solids
Supplier's figure98–273 ppm
Typical 220 ppm
A rough measure of everything dissolved in the water. RO water reads near 0, so TDS is a quick way to compare waters.
From the utility that supplies yours: Denver Water Board, which supplies Southwest Metropolitan WSD; Denver Water Board, which supplies Ken Caryl WSD; Denver Water Board, which supplies Meadowbrook WD (2025).
- Southwest Metropolitan WSD, Ken Caryl WSD and Meadowbrook WD add phosphate to protect pipes. It can feed algae in tanks without much plant growth.
Who supplies Ken Caryl, CO
Southwest Metropolitan WSD
Serves 60% of residents · Buys water from Denver Water Board · Chloramine
Ken Caryl WSD
Serves 20% of residents · Buys water from Denver Water Board · Chloramine
Meadowbrook WD
Serves 7% of residents · Buys water from Denver Water Board · 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.