Testing Bay Area Tap Water for Carnivorous Plant Safety

Eric asked if Bay Area tap water is pure enough for CP. The expert outlined two verification methods.

Method 1: Water Quality Report

Check the water bureau's EPA report for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). ≤50 ppm = safe. Higher = use rain, distilled, or RO water. Know your exact source—some districts blend. For Alameda County Water District: report link (Secondary Water Quality section → TDS line). The expert suspects it's too hard, especially during drought when wells supplement reservoir supply.

Method 2: DIY Testing

Aquarium stores test samples or sell TDS kits/strips. A ZeroWater filter pitcher includes a TDS meter and removes all minerals—the only pitcher filter making hard water CP-safe. Worth it for the meter alone.