Water report - would like input.

I am still planning on doing a fully up to date test, and possibly just using bottled distilled water, but I thought I'd pop up the PDF report for 2012 of my citys water. Let me know if there's any reason for immediate concern please.
Here's the link:
http://www.newtonkansas.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=87
EDIT: Apparently this link is a dud. Transcribed version a couple posts down.

 

That link brings up the minutes of a planning commission meeting which, while fascinating, have little to do with water.

 

Well there's me feeling like a jackass. I'll just transcribe everything it says. Heaven forbid a link actually work. Next post will have the transcribed version.

 

Alkalinity, total - 200
Calcium - 63
Chloride - 30
Conductivity - 570
Corrosivity - 0.085
Hardness, total - 190
Magnesium - 9.3
PH - 7.6
Phosphorus - 0.18
Potassium - 1.6
Silica - 29
Sodium - 48
Solids, total dissolved - 350
Sulfer - 23
Zinc - 0.015

Arsenic - .0061
Barium - 0.20
Chromium - 0.004
Fluoride - .69
Nitrate - 4.4
Selenium - 0.0053

All measurements in mg/L.

 

Just typed that entire thing out...it wouldn't post. Here's a screen shot of the page.

 

Well...have 3 versions. My phones a freakin piece. Anyway, there they are. Input is appreciated!

 

The high alkalinity is the main problem. The alkalinity may be to the point that acidification won't work well unless phosphoric or a mineral acid is used. For instance hydrochloric or sulfuric to add chloride or sulfate ions while knocking out the alkalinity. They are quite dangerous acids though.

The rest of the ions are modest. If dealing with acids is not for you, then dilution or replacement with RO water is a good option.

 

It's probably obvious but there are no dumb questions I guess....what is RO water?
And I am planning on probably using jugged distilled water.

 

If you divide a chamber by a vertical membrane permeable to water molecules but nothing else and fill it with pure water the pressure across the membrane will be 0. If you now dissolve some salt(s) in the water on one side of the membrane the pressure on the pure water side will be higher than the pressure on the salty side because pure water needs to get into the salty side to dilute the salt solution in order to equalize the 'chemical potential' of water on the two sides. This pressure is called 'osmotic pressure'. The osmotic pressure will force water through the membrane into the salt solution. If pressure is applied in the opposite direction i.e. if the salty side is put at higher pressure the osmotic pressure is reversed and water will (provided that the applied pressure is higher than the osmotic pressure) flow from the salty side to the pure water side. Thus water can be purified by isolating it on one side of a membrane and applying pressure to it. Pure (or nearly pure) water will pass through the membrane to the low pressure side. A system which purifies water in this way is called a "Reverse Osmosis" system abbreviated "RO"

 

Most grocery stores have a spigot in the drink aisle to fill 1 or 5 gallon jugs for a reasonable price. That is where you can get RO water.

 

The availability of RO vending machines depends on the local water quality. There probably aren't many in places with little mineralization. But, I'm betting there are plenty in the place where the OP lives.