Bulk sales RO water and a TDS meter

[opercularia]

Due to our small town water source being surface water, I cannot get an up-to-date water analysis, and historical figures show that it varies considerably from test to test. They are generally 2-3 months behind in publishing the data. I use RO water from the local co-op so that I can control my minerals.

Earlier this summer a new batch of RO went milky when I added Star-San concentrate to it. I told the co-op that they had a problem and they called for maintenance. This took three weeks. When they assured me that service had been done, I took another batch of water and had the same result.

I then ordered a TDS meter that arrived today. It claimed to be pre-calibrated, but I checked it out on a new sealed bottle of distilled water, just in case. It read 0. My latest batch of RO read 259 and my tap water read 330.

I took my bottle of DW down to the co-op and duplicated the results for them with a fresh sample from their machine. It's Friday and the supervisor won't be in until Monday. They will get back to me.

Our town is currently under a boil water advisory due to high turbidity and this is the go-to supply for safe drinking water. Does anyone out there have any experience with this level of TDS breakthrough, particularly as it may relate to turbidity breakthrough? I really don't know whether I should be warning my neighbors. I don't have and can't afford a turbidimeter.

Two observations here:

1. This is a possible explanation why I haven't really liked the beers I have brewed this year.

2. Don't take RO water quality for granted, get a TDS meter and check it!

 

[Blackdirt_cowboy]

I wouldn’t warn the neighbors. My well water is 500-600 tds and it’s completely safe to drink. It’s minerally and hard as hell, but it’s not dangerous to consume.

 

[opercularia]

My concern is that the water has already been designated as unsafe (due to high turbidity). RO would overcome that designation, but the TDS breakthrough now means that the water is no longer true RO. Is there now a chance that turbidity and pathogens have potentially broken though?

 

[Dog House Brew]

I went to every water dispenser near me. Only one had RO numbers on my meter. It was at one Walmart, but it’s 30 minutes each way. All the others were actually worse than my tap water, which is 300+ tds. I ended up paying through the nose at a Culligan store. $1.20/gallon. I really need to invest in an RO filter.

 

[BeerBrewerTrain]

Yeah RO water from the store should be 10ppm-150ppm anything more and the water should be free.