Lexington KY Water report 07-2013

Ward labs report on Lexington Ky tap water from July 2013.

pH 7.1
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est 167
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.28
Cations / Anions, me/L 2.6 / 2.5

Sodium, Na 9
Potassium, K 2
Calcium, Ca 25
Magnesium, Mg 10
Total Hardness, CaCO3 104
Nitrate, NO 3-N 0.2 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO -4S 14
Chloride, Cl 24
Carbonate, CO 3 < 1
Bicarbonate, HCO 3 53
Total Alkalinity, CaCO 3 44


What can you tell me about my water?
I'm off to read my Palmer and see what I can figure out on my own.

FWIW this differs considerably from a water report published here on the forum form 2007. Do you usually see this much variation in water?

Lexington KY tap water 2007
pH 7.5
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est 326
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.54
Cations / Anions, me/L 5.6 / 5.4

Sodium, Na 18
Potassium, K 4
Calcium, Ca 51
Magnesium, Mg 26
Total Hardness, CaCO 3 236
Nitrate, NO 3-N 0.3 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO -4S 49
Chloride, Cl 19
Carbonate, CO 3 < 1
Bicarbonate, HCO 3 112
Total Alkalinity, CaCO 3 92

Thanks all,
Ben

The short answer is yes, water can vary day to day. Especially surface waters. There could be a difference between the source of your sample and the older one. If I'm not mistaken, Lex has the KY river water plant and another plant pulling from the lake at the park on Richmond Rd, forgot the name. Even though the water from both plants is most likely blended, you could be getting some water from the river today but lake water tomorrow. Kinda depends on demand in the system. The KY river is fairly hard due to a bedrock layer of limestone so the higher hardness sample most likely came from that source. Lake water tends to be lower in hardness and alkalinity.
BTW, I worked at the Richmond water plant for 3 years back in the early '00's. I tested that river everyday.

Thanks for the input.

In either case, the water looks suitable for brewing. Managing the variation in the water quality is a bigger concern and it will have a major effect on your brewing results. I suggest you obtain some aquarium test kits for hardness and alkalinity. Those kits will enable you to quickly assess how the current tap water is trending with respect to the water reports presented.

Talking with the water utility regarding those two sources would be wise too. Bstacy might know some of the staff at the utility and may be able to get you in the door and onto finding the right people to ask. Its amazing what a little name dropping can do for opening doors.

Since I'm in Lexington as well, I'd love for you to post anything you find out or discover. Water quality, although important, hasn't risen to the top of my priority list to find out about quite yet. I'm pretty new to all grain and am still getting the basic process down and learning my equipment.

I have read where water quality can really effect the final outcome but I'd have to say all of my stuff tastes fine to me so far! I'm sure if anything is really out of wack with the water, fixing it might make them even better, so I'd be interested in your findings. It's probably more important for me to nail my process before monkeying with water chemistry at this point.

Thanks for any info you find!

mabrungard said:

In either case, the water looks suitable for brewing. Managing the variation in the water quality is a bigger concern and it will have a major effect on your brewing results. I suggest you obtain some aquarium test kits for hardness and alkalinity. Those kits will enable you to quickly assess how the current tap water is trending with respect to the water reports presented.

Talking with the water utility regarding those two sources would be wise too. Bstacy might know some of the staff at the utility and may be able to get you in the door and onto finding the right people to ask. Its amazing what a little name dropping can do for opening doors.

Click to expand...

Thanks so much.

Is this the type of test kit you are referring to?? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003SNCHMA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

mabrungard said:

Talking with the water utility regarding those two sources would be wise too. Bstacy might know some of the staff at the utility and may be able to get you in the door and onto finding the right people to ask. Its amazing what a little name dropping can do for opening doors.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I have no connections at the KY American Water office or the water plants. But click here for their annual consumer confidence report. This report is an average overview of the water quality for the 2012 calendar year. According to the CCR, Lexington has three water plants.
If you really enjoy brewing and you want more certainty of whats in the water, you may consider a small RO unit. The units at Lowe's or HD will remove most everything home brewers are concerned with. You then have a "blank canvas" to create the water profile you need for the style of beer you're brewing. The Brew Science section of this forum is full of water stuff. There are regulars in that forum, way smarter than me, who can get you started on the water chemistry of brewing.

if you require more detailed information than what is listed on the website, call the customer service number and request a call back from a water quailty expert. Company policy dictates it is required and usually within 24 hours.
I may or may not have been an employee for this company. Shoot me a pm if you have any other questions.

I bought one of the test kits and got readings that were a bit harder than what my water report stated. GH was 13 or 232.05ppm as cac03 and my KH was 5 or 89.25ppm as cac03 and is much more in line with the figures from the 2007 report.
I'll retest in the next few weeks and see what kind of fluctuations I get.

From a fellow Lexington home brewer, thanks for sharing the report. I too have no complaints from my brew originating from the tap.

You are welcome!
What styles have you brewed?
Were they all grain or extract?

Ben

I just received my report and thought I would update this thread. I live inside New Circle (40502)
March 15, 2014

pH 7.8
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 527
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 0.88
Cations / Anions, me/L 6.8 / 7.0

Sodium, Na 68
Potassium, K 2
Calcium, Ca 57
Magnesium, Mg 12
Total Hardness, CaCO3 193
Nitrate, NO3-N 0.5 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 12
Chloride, Cl 131
Carbonate, CO3 <1
Bicarbonate, HCO3 149
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 122

Look at that sodium. That could be lake water that has been contaminated with road salt huh?
Thanks for the data!

Ben

Would you mind adding this information to the Water Report map? Kentucky need some love.

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zGlCuJj4bXSc.kjCSuYRmKATI

I would add it to the map, but I don't know how. I certainly don't mind if someone else wants to add it.

another report from a friend at a pharmacy lab 2013

pH ??
Cations / Anions, me/L 3.8 / 3.8

Sodium, Na 22.3
Calcium, Ca 41.4
Magnesium, Mg 9.9
Total Hardness, CaCO3 144
Sulfate, SO4-S 55
Chloride, Cl 30

Bicarbonate, HCO3 110.2
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 91

Nice! Thanks Bennypapa!

masskrug said:

Would you mind adding this information to the Water Report map? Kentucky need some love.

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zGlCuJj4bXSc.kjCSuYRmKATI

Click to expand...

Added to map... (also did some map cleanup/organization!)

Thanks for the water reports, all!

-K