Call for NJ Water Chem Stats - Page 4

Jkane101 · 03-12-2010, 06:15 PM

Here's the report I got back from Ward last July. This is tap water from Tenafly in Bergen County provided by United Water.

pH 7.7
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est 314
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.52
Cations / Anions, me/L 5.0 / 5.0

ppm
Sodium, Na 57
Potassium, K 2
Calcium, Ca 38
Magnesium, Mg 7
Total Hardness, CaCO3 124
Nitrate, NO3-N 1.0 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 4
Chloride, Cl 104
Carbonate, CO3 <1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 106
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 87
"<" - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit

pkeeler · 06-08-2010, 02:48 AM

I got my Shamong well water tested. Pretty devoid of anything. Which I guess makes it easy to adjust. Someone should set up a Pilsner brewery here

pH 5.1
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est 67
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.11
Cations / Anions, me/L 0.9 / 1.0

ppm
Sodium, Na 16
Potassium, K 1
Calcium, Ca 2
Magnesium, Mg 2
Total Hardness, CaCO3 13
Nitrate, NO3-N 1.0 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S <1
Chloride, Cl 29
Carbonate, CO3 <1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 3
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 2
"<" - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit

Pivovar_Koucky · 08-05-2010, 11:46 PM

I don't suppose anyone has gotten a water profile for New Brunswick proper have they? Or could at least tell me if they use chlorine or chloramines?

**bytemyfoot** · 08-16-2010, 04:19 AM

Which water analysis is what a homebrewer cares about?

http://wardlab.com/FeeSchedule/WaterAnalysis.aspx

**ajdelange** · 08-16-2010, 06:56 PM

The W5 Complete mineral test seems to be what most people go for but for $10 less the W6 gives you everything except fluoride and iron. The first is a "don't care" unless it gets to the point where it might harm yeast and with the second, if you've got it you probably already know that because you can taste it.

My main reason for posting here it to call people's attention to the fact that if you look at a Ward Labs report you will find that the sulfate is labeled "SO4 -S". This means that sulfate is being reported in terms of the weight of the sulfur in the sulfate ions, not in terms of the weight of the sulfate ions. This is significant if you use one of the popular spread sheets as they assume you are entering data "as sulfate" and list results from additions of gypsum and epsom salts "as sulfate". To use Ward labs data convert to "as sulfate" by multiplying by 3.

**Bobby_M** · 08-16-2010, 10:38 PM

So you mean to tell me that I've been compensating for a low sulfate level based on my ward lab results and I've been overcompensating a factor of three? GREAT!

**ajdelange** · 08-17-2010, 03:49 AM

Not quite that bad. If, for example, your Ward Labs report said you had 10 mg/L and you wanted 60 you would conclude, without the conversion, that you need to add 50. But the 10 is really 30 so you would have 30 + 50 = 80. More than you wanted but not 3 times more.

bmeyer46 · 08-20-2010, 04:39 AM

WOW...you all have to pay to have your water tested? Our town has to run regular tests and the results are free to anyone who wants them. Odd how the laws are different from state to state.

**thegerm** · 08-27-2010, 05:38 AM

I just moved to wallington, nj from houston, tx a few months ago. I have been extract brewing since christmas 09 when I got my first set of brewing gear and I've been preparing to take the plunge into all grain. I just got my W-5 results back from ward last week. Now I just have to do a bit more research on what these numbers mean and how I need to compensate (or not) for various styles. I hope this info can be of help to somebody else.

Water System #: 0265001

pH 8.3
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est 502
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.84
Cations / Anions, me/L 7.9 / 7.7

ppm
Sodium, Na 105
Potassium, K 5
Calcium, Ca 41
Magnesium, Mg 14
Total Hardness, CaCO3 161
Nitrate, NO3-N 3.6 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 29
Chloride, Cl 141
Carbonate, CO3 6
Bicarbonate, HCO3 90
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 84
Fluoride, F 0.21
Total Iron, Fe 0.02

**Bobby_M** · 08-27-2010, 07:19 PM

Just remember, following AJDelang's keen observation, your SO4 level is actually 87ppm. SO4-S isn't what the utilities/spreadsheets are looking for.

In a nutshell, your water is well suited for amber/brown beers right down the middle. Cutting with a % of RO/distilled would be good for lighter beer.