Blacksburg, Christiansburg, VPI Water Authority

[fusa]

Has anyone been able to get current information about the water supply from Blacksburg, Christiansburg, VPI Water Authority? I've tried writing them, and sending emails to a couple of different people, but I haven't received a response. The only information they list online is the sodium content and hardness in 2008.

 

[lld3jster]

Did you ever receive the Water Quality Report from Blacksburg VA? It's interesting that they never responded to you. Have you been having problems with your beer. What kind of questions did you ask them?
I know that the water authority uses choramine as a water disinfectant. It's a mixture of chlorine and ammonia,and will change the taste of home brewwed beer. It is also associated with adverse health effects and plumbing damage to your home.
I'm very interested in how the water is affecting your beer
lld3jster

 

[mabrungard]

I find that you have to find that right person in order to get water profile information from a utility. Since I work with water utilities across the US, I can typically talk my way to the proper person. You should try and get connected to the utility's water quality lab manager to get this information.

 

[ekengland07]

I know this is an old thread, but did you ever get one? I'm local and would like to see the report.

 

[fusa]

I never got one from the local water authority, but I did send a sample into Ward Labs. Here is what they sent back:

[FONT="System"]
pH 	8.3
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm 	100
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm 	0.17
Cations / Anions, me/L 	1.5 / 1.6
	
	ppm
Sodium, Na 	10
Potassium, K 	5
Calcium, Ca 	8
Magnesium, Mg 	6
Total Hardness, CaCO3 	45
Nitrate, NO3-N 	0.5 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 	2
Chloride, Cl 	15
Carbonate, CO3 	6
Bicarbonate, HCO3 	47
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 	49
Fluoride, F 	0.69
Total Iron, Fe 	 < 0.01
	< - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit
[/FONT]

I haven't had any problems with my beer. I was just interested in the information in case I ever got into adjusting my water to match water for other areas.

 

[ekengland07]

Thank you. After I asked here, I called VPI water to see if I could get one and they sent me a recent in-house test via email and the numbers they sent are is pretty close to these numbers. It's nice to know the water is still consistent. I was pleased when I saw the same thing as you. I have not had much trouble with my beer either, but I thought I'd try my hand at altering water chemistry for an IPA this weekend to see if it makes a difference.

 

[ajdelange]

If you have some other ale made with unaltered water take a couple of glasses of that and add a tiny bit of gypsum to one and a tiny bit of calcium chloride and taste compared to some of the beer with no additions. This will give you a rough idea as to what those minerals will do to the taste of a beer brewed with them. Sulfate and chloride are the 'stylistic' ions that you will be playing with as your water is low in both.

The other thing you will want to do is add some acid to nudge the pH down a bit. The Primer in the Stickies here may be of some help.

That's very nice water.