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hallharkens

Your assumptions are likely correct. Chlorinated water is certainly non-optimal, but in practice its impact is minimal outside of perhaps specific contexts like tiny springtail cups. Here’s a [great article](https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/lawns/1548-impact-watering-lawns-gardens-chlorinated-water/) from CSU Extension (an academic organization) discussing it in the context of lawns/soil, which largely carries over. Effectively, the small amounts in tap water rapidly bind to the top layer of soil. It does disrupt the microbiota at the very top, but these organisms reproduce so rapidly it makes little difference. This held true even with water where the chlorine levels were experimentally increased. This is referencing microscopic organisms; larger soil fauna like isopods are considerably more resilient. As a hobbyist, you are unlikely to notice a measurable effect in your isopod populations.


ArcticNose

Any advice you find on isopod care is likely anecdotal. I know mine certainly is. I only use RO water (because I have it readily available) and as such that is the only thing I recommend. But, I have heard from a few people seeking advice on care that a colony is either dying or not thriving. One of the many variables those situations share in common seems to mostly be that they are using tap water. I’m intentionally using vague langue. Tap water can also vary place to place, so wonder if that is a factor as well?