Here we go again...

[DBlackman]

Here is my '2 cents' and experience with using 'Tap Water'.

Before switching to saltwater, I've kept rare and exotic fish that required high water quality demands. To perform weekly water changes, I had to age 'Tap' water for a minimum of 12 hours; SeaChem PRIME, air-stones, and a power-head in a 90gal barrow. The air-stones helped in oxygenation and dissipate chlorine.

A couple of years back, Austin had switched from using chlorine to chloramine-treated water. I had lost several fish, without notification from the city.

The problem with chlorine is that it is a known poison and the safety of drinking this poison over the longterm (i.e. your lifetime) is highly uncertain. Also, chlorine reacts with water-borne decaying organic matter like leaves, bark, sediment, etc. to create a family of chemicals called trihalomethanes and other highly toxic substances. Trihalomethanes, or THM's, include chemicals such as chloroform, bromoform and dichlorobromethane, all of which are extremely carcinogenic even in minute amounts.

Chloramine is another substance used now in many larger municipalities (i.e. Los Angeles). In systems where the level of chlorine is at the highest acceptable level but need still more disinfection, the utility will then add a chlorine/ammonia compound. Chloramine is represented as totally safe but with the..... "Disclaimer to not give chloramine-treated water to your animals or use it in your fish tanks (it kills fish)!"

If you are on a municipal system with chlorination or chloramine, theoretically you are protected against bacteria. However, if the level of chlorination isn't high enough from the municipal source to your tap, bacteria can re-infect the water anywhere along the distribution system. The piping system -- whether it's the mains or your house plumbing -- has bacterial growth in it happening all the time.

You may want to have your 'House' water tested for chlorine/chloramine levels!

Using RO filtered water alone gets rid of chlorine, THMs, chloriform, chloramines, cryptosporidium and giardia lamblia, cysts, fluoride, minerals, pesticides and toxic chemicals, heavy metals, MTBEs, and nitrates.

Another recommendation is stop by HomeDepot or Lowes to purchase a 'Whole House' filtration unit and a filter sleeve designed to remove chlorine, sediments, etc... as an alternative to a RO or RO/DI filtration unit/s.

Sorry to have gone overboard with the information. But,it helps!