Is tap water ok?

[NightEule5]

Clean tap water is fine. In the wild huge flocks ambush large trucks transporting bottled spring water because they just wont drink anything else

Lol

I used to use tap water but am more cautious after springing two leaks in house pipe system. Long story short, very hard water combined with chlorine thins the copper piping causing pinholes or worse. House was built with the thinnest-walled piping per code at the time. Faced with the choice of re-piping, I decided to contract an epoxy-lining service that has, thus far, worked well. But I am concerned microscopic bits might leach into water over time. That the coating is "food grade" is not comforting!

So, I have a series of 5-gallon BPA-free jugs with spouts that are re-filled from a nearby "water store." Used for birds and human consumption! Somebody tell me I'm paranoid!!

We're more paranoid. We filter our water before boiling it in a pot for 10 minutes, even though just boiling it would work! And we've never actually tasted our tap water that I know of, but I guess we just hate the taste of chlorine so much that we never drink it straight from the tap. And, on top of that, we also buy jugs of drinking water just in case our water freezes (yes, that happens). And yet, we aren't so paranoid that we don't water our chickens with it, so I don't know.

It's most likely ok, as they've told us it's potable. We just don't like the taste of straight tap water.

And as for hard water, we have that too. We replaced our 10 year old water heater, and it had literal rocks in it! I'm not joking, it had several feet rock crystal stuff in there (probably limestone) and it was very hard to get out of the house. It was very heavy. And we also had this orange iron stuff that coated the bath tub when we had a well, I don't know quite what that was.

 

[NightEule5]

also bear in mind some birds need to eat rocks (grit) to digest food like cockatiels...I don't think hard water is an issue.

We have to feed our chickens this granite gravel stuff (with fairly big chunks). They also eat dirt when they're outside to get more grit, which is wierd since we always offer it. Do cockatiels actually eat rocks or just sand stuff like budgies?

 

[Karlys]

My tap water is disgusting and, arguably, not fit for human consumption. It comes out of the tap at 700-800 ppm for its total dissolved solids. The EPA says 500 is the max that's tolerable. We bought a TDS meter after my freshwater shrimp kept dying after they'd molt and I was appalled. The fish seem to have adapted but I ended up deciding that shrimp keeping in this house just wasn't going to be possible. We only drink and give our pets bottled water now.

So, basically, it's entirely dependent on your local water quality. Chlorine can always be boiled away or you can use fish tank-grade dechlorinators but your TDS is, unfortunately, there to stay unless you have an RO/DI system.

 

[NightEule5]

That sucks. I don't think our water is that bad currently, although when we had our well there was a lot of stuff in it. Still not that bad. I think we could drink our water, but we just don't because any small taste of something makes us not want to drink it.

If it's above the EPA level is that illegal? I don't know what the laws in the States are as far as that. I've been out of the States since I was 2, lol.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I've been using tap water (city, well, across 4 states) for the Rb for 34 years...

 

[NightEule5]

Ya, I'm using tap water now. Seems to be ok.

 

[MonicaMc]

I've learned a lot more about tap water within the past two years. I can say that tap water varies a lot depending on not only where you live but the source of your water. My sister and I both live within walking distance of the same river, but live about 10 minutes away by car. I have "city water", which is sourced from said river and she has "well water", sourced from underground aquifers. My water is soft, since the water is mostly from rain and snow that goes into a big lake (~30 minutes away, along the same river, it's 'medium hard') where-as my sisters is the complete opposite - it's hard. It picks up all the minerals and such from the ground. Rust colored water? Yup, it's a thing...


Interesting fact - if you let the water sit for 24 or so hours, that chlorine (or chlorammine) smell should "off-gas" - better yet if you have a way to aerate the water!

also bear in mind some birds need to eat rocks (grit) to digest food like cockatiels...I don't think hard water is an issue.

We have to feed our chickens this granite gravel stuff (with fairly big chunks). They also eat dirt when they're outside to get more grit, which is wierd since we always offer it. Do cockatiels actually eat rocks or just sand stuff like budgies?

*NO* parrot requires grit! But *all* parrots out in the wild may consume grit! (including nectar eaters - they might eat *some* although I don't know if this is documented or not)

I've had budgies, cockatiels, turquoisine, bourkes, conures, a lovebird, african ringneck.... never fed grit to any of them religiously, and some never received grit at all. Not necessary.

My tap water is disgusting and, arguably, not fit for human consumption. It comes out of the tap at 700-800 ppm for its total dissolved solids. The EPA says 500 is the max that's tolerable. We bought a TDS meter after my freshwater shrimp kept dying after they'd molt and I was appalled. The fish seem to have adapted but I ended up deciding that shrimp keeping in this house just wasn't going to be possible. We only drink and give our pets bottled water now.

So, basically, it's entirely dependent on your local water quality. Chlorine can always be boiled away or you can use fish tank-grade dechlorinators but your TDS is, unfortunately, there to stay unless you have an RO/DI system.

The only reason I know as much as I do about tap water... is because of shrimp! I started out with the opposite issue though... water too soft! (have shrimp minerals now!)

 

[Scott]

That sucks. I don't think our water is that bad currently, although when we had our well there was a lot of stuff in it. Still not that bad. I think we could drink our water, but we just don't because any small taste of something makes us not want to drink it.

If it's above the EPA level is that illegal? I don't know what the laws in the States are as far as that. I've been out of the States since I was 2, lol.

Most water in the U.S. is considered "safe" and water agencies usually publish a "report card" giving great detail. This is likely true for most "first world" nations. I've been to several "third world" countries and am painfully careful to use bottled water for everything but the shower and choose foods carefully. Our problems in Canada and the U.S. are generally limited to taste and occasional nasty impurities. But then there's always the terrible lead water in Flint Michigan.

Wanna hear a horribly true story about contaminated water?? Back in the 1990s, an airliner pilot crew became very sick on the flight home from Bangkok, Thailand to San Francisco. Constantly in and out of the lavatory. Next day one of the pilots was violently sick, went to the doctor and had various tests to determine the offending organism. A few days later the doctor called and asked if he was close to dead bodies. Wut?? Turns out the crew had purchased beer from a street vendor. The cans and bottles were covered with ice, and they likely just shook off the chips and enjoyed. The problem was the beer vendor had scored the ice free, from a local morgue. They covered the bodies with ice during transport from the hospital, and were happy to give the ice away!

 

[NightEule5]

Wanna hear a horribly true story about contaminated water?? Back in the 1990s, an airliner pilot crew became very sick on the flight home from Bangkok, Thailand to San Francisco. Constantly in and out of the lavatory. Next day one of the pilots was violently sick, went to the doctor and had various tests to determine the offending organism. A few days later the doctor called and asked if he was close to dead bodies. Wut?? Turns out the crew had purchased beer from a street vendor. The cans and bottles were covered with ice, and they likely just shook off the chips and enjoyed. The problem was the beer vendor had scored the ice free, from a local morgue. They covered the bodies with ice during transport from the hospital, and were happy to give the ice away!

It sucks how much how much contamination happens like that in those places. While I'm glad we don't have stuff like that in Europe and here in North America, it's sad to think that it happens in other places. Nice story telling!

 

[NightEule5]

I've learned a lot more about tap water within the past two years. I can say that tap water varies a lot depending on not only where you live but the source of your water. My sister and I both live within walking distance of the same river, but live about 10 minutes away by car. I have "city water", which is sourced from said river and she has "well water", sourced from underground aquifers. My water is soft, since the water is mostly from rain and snow that goes into a big lake (~30 minutes away, along the same river, it's 'medium hard') where-as my sisters is the complete opposite - it's hard. It picks up all the minerals and such from the ground. Rust colored water? Yup, it's a thing...

We use to have well water, until our well collapsed. It was like 50 years old, so we knew it would happen sooner or later. Now that we haul water from a town water system, it's night and day difference! So much less minerals clogging stuff up (although it still does to some degree) and no more rust coating on the bathtub/sinks. Hopefully this new water heater doesn't get rock (calcium carbonate I think) buildup in the bottom like the last one...

*NO* parrot requires grit! But *all* parrots out in the wild may consume grit! (including nectar eaters - they might eat *some* although I don't know if this is documented or not)

I've had budgies, cockatiels, turquoisine, bourkes, conures, a lovebird, african ringneck.... never fed grit to any of them religiously, and some never received grit at all. Not necessary.

Good to know! We've offered budgie sand stuff before, but they never touched it.

 

[DiscoDuck]

The thought occurs to me how often I see birds drinking from river water, pond water and mud puddles or eat clay from the river banks of the amazon.

Distilled clean of contaminants is a perfect chemical attribute to water.

I wonder? would pure water kill a bird? sorry its sunday and it just started sleeting!!
global warming is really late this year!

 

[MonicaMc]

If you mean 'pure water' as in RO water or distilled... well, there's a lot of controversy over it... some say it's great and clean of contaminates, others say that if you drink it, then your body will lose minerals because the water pulls minerals from your body and you lose them when you use the restroom... in that sense, it would be recommended to drink alkaline water.


Here's one of those anti-RO articles (an advertisement!)

https://www.aqualiv.com/reverse-osmosis-water-filter-health/


I don't know how much truth there is to health issues related to drinking RO water, especially when thousands of people live in areas where there is soft water to begin with and may not be getting the "necessary minerals" required from drinking water. That said, I would hope that they would be receiving all the necessary minerals they require through diet alone!

 

[NightEule5]

I heard that distilled water was detrimental as well. I don't know if it pulls the minerals from the body as you say or if just doesn't have them (and therefore doesn't replenish). But ya, I think drinking water with minerals is best.

However, bottled water that was filtered by reverse osmosis usually has the nessecary minerals added back into it. So I don't know if articles like that are really all that valid. I'll read it though and see.

Edit: Yep, I don't think that article is valid. Of course you don't want to drink straight RO water, but this is misleading as all the bottled water I've seen is filtered and then has minerals added back in. Maybe they're just trying to sell their product, idk.

 

[DiscoDuck]

Guys.... Its basic science.

Elemental...

Water moledule equals 2 atoms of Hydrogen plus one atom of oxygen. Hence H2O

Any and everything else is an additive. If you want other atoms/Molecules you will need to add things like atomic minerals... Iron Lead Copper Gold Silver Mercury, the mineral atom/molecules are endless..

Go with distilled water or get water with additives.. if you want them, like Chlorine, Florine etc etc etc.. go for it.. we all ingest that stuff every time we take a breathe or eat something..

Remember... everything in moderation..! We all are stardust!:22::22:

 

[MonicaMc]

Like I mentioned, it's an advertisement! LOL

RO water and distilled are technically the same, it's just that how they are made is different. It would be about the same as rain water out in the country.


What I don't know is if there is any truth to drinking RO water, because if there is, then I would imagine that communities that have soft water would report higher cases of health issues due to drinking such water. It's not something I've looked into though so I don't know what truth there may be to it.

 

[DiscoDuck]

It's not something I've looked into though so I don't know what truth there may be to it.

Yeah.. understood.. 90% or more of the stuff about water is a marketing ploy IMO.. Its amazing to me how they leave off the simple science behind water in its self..

I know reverse osmosis, I also understand distillation. Frankly distilled or purified water tastes uh... really bland..

Dont kill me cause I add a very very small amount of fruit or even coke to my birds water bottle. He loves the flavored water with all its chemicals in it. So compared to the molecular (chemical) make of water that is available to our winged friends in the wild.. uh... tap water is uh the best they will.... oh nevermind

 

[MonicaMc]

Someone did design teas for parrots... so!!!

Beaks Birdhouse Tea

https://greywoodmanor.com/t/avian-teas


I'd personally avoid adding soda to their water but I don't see any harm to adding fruit.

 

[DiscoDuck]

yeah no soda.. just a tiny tiny bit of coloring. its probably no worse than all the crap he eats.. I spend anywhere from 2 - 8 hours a day walking him around town and in the park. I got a little alarmed yesterday with a rhododendrum he seemed to be fond of. Then again, he seems to like to eat any tree branch, will dig holes in the dirt and bites the buds off the 70yo rose garden specimens...

lots of plants that can be toxic to alot of animals, I think, I cant be sure, however when passing near low hanging branches there are type he uhhh avoids..

My confidence is pretty high that he is a wild animal with a heredity from the Amazon. anyways,, sorry for the digression..

 

[Caitnah]

I just read this thread yesterday and thought I'd comment.

Am very surprised that nobody mentioned (unless I missed it) that they give their bird filtered water from Brita, Pur, or any other charcoal filtered water.
I just took my 12 week old Conure for his first vet visit and the vet was ADAMANT to not giving filtered water. She said that the charcoal filter does develop bacteria over time and although not un-safe for us, IS for the bird.

My tap water is o.k. But I started using a filter a couple years ago just for better taste. When I pour the tap water into the pitcher you can definitely smell the chlorine.

 

[LordTriggs]

I just read this thread yesterday and thought I'd comment.

Am very surprised that nobody mentioned (unless I missed it) that they give their bird filtered water from Brita, Pur, or any other charcoal filtered water.
I just took my 12 week old Conure for his first vet visit and the vet was ADAMANT to not giving filtered water. She said that the charcoal filter does develop bacteria over time and although not un-safe for us, IS for the bird.

My tap water is o.k. But I started using a filter a couple years ago just for better taste. When I pour the tap water into the pitcher you can definitely smell the chlorine.

I recently got a jug filter so thanks for the info! I had no idea that they were bad for birds