North Caldwell, NJ tap water
Supplied mostly by North Caldwell Water Dep, 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 figureUp to 15 ppm (Low)
Typical 4.5 ppm
Low, so water changes lower your tank's nitrate well.
From the utility that supplies yours: Essex Fells Water Dept and Passaic Valley Water Commission, which supplies North Caldwell Water Dep; Verona Water Department, which supplies North Caldwell - Hilltop (2012–2024).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Supplier's figure52–154 ppm
Typical 52 ppm
Soft. Good for tetras, rasboras and most shrimp. Livebearers, snails and African cichlids prefer harder water.
From the utility that supplies yours: Passaic Valley Water Commission, which supplies North Caldwell Water Dep; Passaic Valley Water Commission, which supplies North Caldwell - Hilltop (2024).
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
Supplier's figure32–153 ppm
Typical 71 ppm
Moderate buffering. pH should stay fairly steady.
From the utility that supplies yours: Essex Fells Water Dept and Passaic Valley Water Commission, which supplies North Caldwell Water Dep; Verona Water Department, which supplies North Caldwell - Hilltop (2012–2024).
pH
Supplier's figure6.2–8.5
Typical 7.7
Most community fish do well here. Stable water matters more than the exact number.
From the utility that supplies yours: Essex Fells Water Dept and Passaic Valley Water Commission, which supplies North Caldwell Water Dep; Verona Water Department, which supplies North Caldwell - Hilltop (2012–2024).
Total dissolved solids
Supplier's figure80–445 ppm
Typical 80 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: Passaic Valley Water Commission, which supplies North Caldwell Water Dep; Passaic Valley Water Commission, which supplies North Caldwell - Hilltop (2024).
- North Caldwell Water Dep and North Caldwell - Hilltop add phosphate to protect pipes. It can feed algae in tanks without much plant growth.
- North Caldwell Water Dep softens its water at the plant, so it may be softer than the local groundwater.
Who supplies North Caldwell, NJ
North Caldwell Water Dep
Serves 86% of residents · Buys water from Essex Fells Water Dept · Chloramine
North Caldwell - Hilltop
Serves 10% of residents · Buys water from Essex Fells Water Hilltop System · 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.