Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Please Help Analyze My Water Report  (Read 3735 times)

Offline tomthebrewer

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 97
Please Help Analyze My Water Report
« on: November 10, 2009, 07:11:42 pm »
I'm not sure what all I need to post, so I'll post it all.
This is an old report, from 2005. I don't have a 2009 report anymore, must have thrown it out. I can't think the levels would change much over 4 years, though.

All of these number come under the column Highest Level Detected
Barium 0.02 ppm
Fluoride 0.98 ppm
Nitrate-Nitrite 0.5 ppm
Nitrate (as N) 0.34 ppm
Simazine 0.52 ppb
Atrazine 1.2 ppb
Manganese 14 ppb
Sodium 13 ppm

So what do I have here?
618 Country - Southern Illinois

Offline crabber

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 45
Re: Please Help Analyze My Water Report
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2009, 07:33:20 pm »
That doesn't look like a mineral content report, more like a safety/potability report.  You need to know the CO3, SO4, Cl, Mg, and Ca levels.  Assuming this is municipality water, I would imagine they should be able to provide a mineral analysis.  If not, order an analysis from Ward Labs, "Household Mineral Test" W-5 or W-6.
www.wardlab.com

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10686
  • Milford, MI
Re: Please Help Analyze My Water Report
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2009, 07:43:22 pm »
Looks like you live in corn farming country, where they use loads of fertilizer (Nitrites) and weed killer (atrizine).  Don't know the allowed limits.
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline tomthebrewer

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 97
Re: Please Help Analyze My Water Report
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2009, 07:48:31 pm »
That doesn't look like a mineral content report, more like a safety/potability report.  You need to know the CO3, SO4, Cl, Mg, and Ca levels.  Assuming this is municipality water, I would imagine they should be able to provide a mineral analysis.  If not, order an analysis from Ward Labs, "Household Mineral Test" W-5 or W-6.
www.wardlab.com

That's what I thought. I'll call city hall Thursday and see what they can do.
618 Country - Southern Illinois

Offline tomthebrewer

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 97
Re: Please Help Analyze My Water Report
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2009, 07:49:00 pm »
Looks like you live in corn farming country, where they use loads of fertilizer (Nitrites) and weed killer (atrizine).  Don't know the allowed limits.

Yep, ton's of corn around here.
618 Country - Southern Illinois

Offline tomthebrewer

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 97
Re: Please Help Analyze My Water Report
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2009, 07:31:31 am »
Update:

I got some more information from the city water department.

Iron 0.01 ppm
Sodium 18 ppm
Sulfate 40 ppm

I still have to talk to someone else about the sodium, carbonate, chloride, and magnesium levels, but I did find this information as well:

Finished Alkalinity 130 ppm
Finished Hardness 151 ppm

So with this info, can I make any adjustments or do I still have to wait on the others?
618 Country - Southern Illinois

Offline a10t2

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4696
  • Ask me why I don't like Chico!
    • SeanTerrill.com
Re: Please Help Analyze My Water Report
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2009, 08:49:01 am »
So with this info, can I make any adjustments or do I still have to wait on the others?

From the alkalinity you can estimate HCO3-, which should be about 155 ppm, but without the calcium level you can't really do much.
Sent from my Microsoft Bob

Beer is like porn. You can buy it, but it's more fun to make your own.
Refractometer Calculator | Batch Sparging Calculator | Two Mile Brewing Co.

Offline tomthebrewer

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 97
Re: Please Help Analyze My Water Report
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2009, 09:47:08 am »
That's what I figured.

Let's hope I can get what I need by Friday. That's when I'm brewing again.
618 Country - Southern Illinois