Somerville, MA tap water
Supplied by Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA). 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 figure0.2–2.7 ppm (Low)
Typical 2.7 ppm
Low, so water changes lower your tank's nitrate well.
From the utility that supplies yours: MWRA, which supplies Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA) (2024).
Water chemistry
General hardness
Supplier's figure16 ppm
Soft. Good for tetras, rasboras and most shrimp. Livebearers, snails and African cichlids prefer harder water.
From the utility that supplies yours: MWRA, which supplies Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA).
Carbonate hardness (alkalinity)
Supplier's figure40–43 ppm
Typical 42 ppm
Moderate buffering. pH should stay fairly steady.
From the utility that supplies yours: MWRA, which supplies Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA).
pH
Supplier's figure9.3–9.7
Typical 9.5
Alkaline. Many utilities raise pH to protect pipes. Stability matters more than the exact number.
From the utility that supplies yours: MWRA, which supplies Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA).
Who supplies Somerville, MA
Somerville Water Dept. (MWRA)
Serves 99% of residents · Buys water from MWRA · 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.