Hi I have set this old sink up for a drinking water source for my bees which hopefully I will get at the end of this month. Looking at a few articles alot say bees prefer dirty water or swimming pool water. I mixed a couple of buckets of water from our pool with tap water and some leaves etc from the garden. After a few weeks it now is abit stagnant. Is this good or bad for the bees
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I’d leave it. Bees like “tasty” water.
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I have a bird bath with large rocks on them too land on, I save rain water for the girls.
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They use my pond, have never seen them in the pool. I think they prefer not dealing with chlorine. Only thing to watch for are mosquitoes, maybe some sort of small fish (gold fish) to consume mosquito larvae.
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If your water source is too small for fish, some people (@Eva I think?) use a small solar powered fountain or circulating pump. Mosquito larvae don’t do well in moving water. 
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Mosquito dunks (bt inoculated) also work quite well and don’t clog up with scum like those little pumps.
Mosquito fish can live in surprisingly small and warm water too.
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My bees love the algae in my wine barrel pond. I’ve read quite a few places that certain types of algae has health benefits for both bees and people — sort of like a green power drink. I also provide fresh water in a birdbath, but they seem to prefer the pond scum.
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They sure know what to do, and great information.
Mine must have a nearby water source. I have never seen a bee in the water I provide, even on a 40 degree day.
There’s a wild beehive in a pepper tree a couple of doors down, and the bees have discovered the pond I set up for my bees. A couple of months ago I took a video of one of my bees jumping on the back of another bee and kicking it out of the pond. Now I think the pond has been invaded by bees from the other hive. There’s defensive behavior which I have never seen from my bees and many more water bees than there should be. I think I’ll talk to my neighbor and see if they’re willing to set up a little water source for their own bees. (I’d gladly pay for it!)
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My neighbors all have pools, I have a spa, birdbath, and also several water collection barrels for watering the garden. My bees still go to the pond for water. They like to land on the Lilly pads and water hyacinths to access the water. It runs 3000 gallons per hour though filters including a uv filter with an oxyenator in bottom. I have never seen them pick another source and my neighbors have yet to spot any in their pools.
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You do have a beautiful pond, Freddie! There are swimming pools nearby, but they must have discovered how delicious pond water is in comparison. I guess this is just the beginning of the water battles here in Southern California…
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Thanks, 
yeah, yall need a steady drizzle. Maybe Zeus will get it together. 
have you tried any dances? We have too much water. At 50" of rain so far this year. I didn’t have to water anything. 
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I put out salty water and they like that and they also drink from my hydroponic tanks. I think there are nutrients they like there. I would not fret to much about it unless your in the dessert.
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