How much Sodium in YOUR water - Help me make a case

[Grinder12000]

Do we in Columbus WI have the worst brewing water in the world??

We have 106ppm of sodium coming onto out house. I'm trying to make a case for change on our towns drinking water but need to know what other bad towns have.

IF you have a water report I would LOVE to have you post your town and how much sodium - good or bad.

Columbus WI 106ppm.
Calcium 19ppm
Total Alkalinity 249ppm

 

[Yooper]

In our city water supply, we have 9 ppm Na+.

Our water is very good, and tastes great, but it is alkaline. My CaC03 is 227 ppm.

 

[mabrungard]

There are many municipalities that soften their water supply with an ion-exchange process. My city is a case in point. The tap water has about 250 ppm sodium. There are cities in Indiana that have up to 350 ppm sodium. That definitely has a salty taste.

Sodium is a touchy subject. EPA refuses to touch it since there are too many users that would be affected if limits were actually implimented. The World Health Organization has a recommendation that sodium be limited to 250 ppm, but even that causes problems. There are just too many water supplies around the world that are too mineralized, but its all the residents have. I suppose they don't want to create a problem that they can't solve.

For my tap water, I had no choice but install a RO system for my family's drinking water and for my brewing. Get the largest tank you can afford to store your RO water. A rule of thumb would be to size the tank with twice the capacity as the amount of water used for brewing. A 5 or 6 gal batch will require about 10 gal total. Therefore, a 20 gal tank would be a good idea.

 

[bovineblitz]

Man. I think I'd rather have that much sodium than the 137ppm of chloride my water has.

 

[Spartan1979]

My water has 23 ppm Calcium, 16 ppm Magnesium, 33 ppm Sodium, 23 ppm Chloride, 116 ppm Sulfate and 104 ppm Alkalinity (CaCO3).

The only thing that is high is the Sulfate. The alkalinity doesn't seem too bad.

 

[jtejedor]

I think the water here in vegas is a little harder. My water: Calcium 88 ppm, Magnesium 30 ppm, Sodium 104 ppm, Chloride 101 ppm, Sulfate 243 ppm, Bicarbonate 156 ppm. The few times I used all tap water in a batch it was pretty harsh. Even stouts had a real harsh edge.

 

[aModestMouse]

230ppm sodium here.. needless to say i don't brew with the water.

 

[TyTanium]

Lake Michigan water in the Chicago burbs. We're barely pushing 8ppm Na in the greater Chicagoland area.

 

[Grinder12000]

aModest. Where are you?

 

[motobrewer]

after my softener, i'm at 211ppm sodium

CaCO3 is 288

i'm on a well in Thiensville. yeah, i use bottled....

 

[voltin]

According to the 2010 Water Quality Report for Lubbock, our sodium is 290 ppm. Also of interest 62ppm Calcium, 378ppm Chloride, 35ppm Magnesium, and 237ppm Sulfate.

Needless to say with all the Sodium and Chloride in our water, I don't drink it let alone brew with it.