Merkel, TX tap water
Supplied by City of Merkel. 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 figure0.2–1.1 ppm (Low)
Typical 0.6 ppm
Low, so water changes lower your tank's nitrate well.
From the utility that supplies yours: City of Abilene, which supplies City of Merkel (2024).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Supplier's figure194–423 ppm
Typical 309 ppm
Hard. Ideal for livebearers and African cichlids. Soft-water species may struggle to breed.
From the utility that supplies yours: City of Abilene, which supplies City of Merkel (2024).
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
Supplier's figure108–127 ppm
Typical 118 ppm
Strong buffering. pH stays steady and hard to lower without RO water.
From the utility that supplies yours: City of Abilene, which supplies City of Merkel (2024).
pH
Supplier's figure8–8.2
Typical 8.1
Alkaline. Many utilities raise pH to protect pipes. Stability matters more than the exact number.
From the utility that supplies yours: City of Abilene, which supplies City of Merkel (2017).
Total dissolved solids
Supplier's figure452–893 ppm
Typical 673 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: City of Abilene, which supplies City of Merkel (2024).
Who supplies Merkel, TX
City of Merkel
Serves 91% of residents · Buys water from City of Abilene · 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.