Somerset, NJ tap water
Supplied by Franklin Township Dept of Public Works. 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 figure3.1–18 ppm (Low)
Typical 6.2 ppm
Water changes can't take your tank's nitrate below this level.
From the utility that supplies yours: New Jersey American Water – Raritan and North Brunswick W Dept and South Brunswick Twp W Di and New Brunswick W Dept, which supplies Franklin Township Dept of Public Works (2012–2019).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Supplier's figure90–222 ppm
Typical 156 ppm
Moderately hard. Great for livebearers, and most community fish adapt.
From the utility that supplies yours: New Jersey American Water – Raritan, which supplies Franklin Township Dept of Public Works.
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
0 ppm
Little buffering. pH can drop quickly between water changes, especially with CO₂ or an older tank.
From EPA monitoring data (2016–2019).
pH
Supplier's figure5.8–8.5
Typical 7.1
Most community fish do well here. Stable water matters more than the exact number.
From the utility that supplies yours: New Jersey American Water – Raritan and North Brunswick W Dept and South Brunswick Twp W Di and New Brunswick W Dept, which supplies Franklin Township Dept of Public Works (2012–2019).
- Franklin Township Dept of Public Works adds phosphate to protect pipes. It can feed algae in tanks without much plant growth.
- Franklin Township Dept of Public Works softens its water at the plant, so it may be softer than the local groundwater.
Who supplies Somerset, NJ
Franklin Township Dept of Public Works
Serves all residents · Buys water from New Jersey American Water – Raritan · 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.