Question
I have run out of saved rain water for my 3 trays of carn. plants. I go through a lot of water. You have told me Portland tap water is okay,but Vancouver Wa. tap water is not. Do you have any idea if Columbia river water would be safe? Or if tap water from Ocean Park Wa.would be safe?Loomis lake or Black lake from long beach pennisula?

Answer
Hi Ross,

Thanks for doing this.  Getting growing questions via text doesn't work real well.

Unfortunately, since the Columbia is the drainage for so many river, the water is going to have a very high mineral content.  Alien freshwater clams and mussels do very well in the Columbia because of this.  It would probably kill carnivorous plants quite quickly.

Distilled water is fine.  Water from the natural lakes on the Long Beach peninsula is probably going to be fine.  Many of those coastal lakes have sphagnum hummocks and little bogs on their edges.  I wouldn't be surprised if you looked really hard you might find some Drosera rotundifolia around one.  The water may appear dark (i.e. "Black Lake"), but that is going to be from tannins which make the water acid; perfect for cp.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.growcarnivorousplants.com