Help reading water chemistry

[robbeh]

I have the annual water report from the water plant for our region but when I read the massive chart of chemical testing, I don’t even see chlorine so I’m wondering if I need to get a different report.

The PDF can be found here http://www.halton.ca/common/pages/UserFile.aspx?fileId=152959

Page 5, Burloak treatment centre.

I want to get into treating my water but first I am trying to figure out what I am up against.

Would I be better just to call them?

 

[SEndorf]

Your water report only measures toxins.
You still need the mineral content.

 

[robbeh]

Ok I sent them an email an got a different report which I think is much more helpful.

Do I need to somehow use the yellow column in my calculations?

Thanks,
Robb

 

[SEndorf]

No. I don't know what "detection limit" means, but the yellow column does not represent actual numbers. For example, the Ph shows "1.00". Alkalinity is "2.00", etc.
I think one of the distribution columns is what you're looking for. Overall, these look like nice brewing numbers.

 

[ajdelange]

The detection limit is the level at which the ion can be detected according to some criterion such as the mean of a set of measurements being one standard deviation above measurement of blanks. If the reported value for an ion is several times the detection limit you can have some confidence in the reported value.

Some of the 'distributions' (e.g. Burlington) look pretty good. Others (Campbelville) look pretty bad.

 

[robbeh]

Really?! Nice! I’m in Burlington, probably should have specified that.

Are there any good articles to begin reading up on?

Water is going to be my focus for the next brew.

 

[SEndorf]

I'd start with the "Brew Science" forum here. It's a lot to go over, so concentrate on posts by AJ DeLange and Martin Brungard.
It's a heady subject; one I find fascinating.

 

[danielthemaniel]

I'd highly recommend getting your water tested if you're going to do any kind of alterations to your water. Those reports can often times be far different than what is coming out of your tap. Why spend all the time and effort adjusting your water off of false premises? Ward labs does a test for brewing that is very simple and only costs around $35. I'm very glad I got my water tested because the results were far different than what my local water report said.

 

[acidrain]

You are definitely going down the right path... like danielthemaniel said, unfortunately your municipal water will not have a mineral report that will actually represent what is coming out of your tap. You'll need to send a sample off to be tested. Probably the best money you will spend.

 

[robbeh]

You are definitely going down the right path... like danielthemaniel said, unfortunately your municipal water will not have a mineral report that will actually represent what is coming out of your tap. You'll need to send a sample off to be tested. Probably the best money you will spend.

Perfect, thanks for the advice everyone. I will definitely get my water tested. I emailed ward labs since I am up in Canada and I’ll hunt around for a Canadian tester.

In the mean time I am off to the brew science forums. I have to say this journey is pretty cool, there is just so much to learn and every time I feel like I take a big step, I just realize there is so much more to learn. Without this forum I would be no where.

Maybe one day we’ll be able to share a brew. Thanks again for all the advice/help.

 

[ajdelange]

I'd highly recommend getting your water tested if you're going to do any kind of alterations to your water.

I would too but I'm not sure that Ward Labs serves up here.

Those reports can often times be far different than what is coming out of your tap. Why spend all the time and effort adjusting your water off of false premises? Ward labs does a test for brewing that is very simple and only costs around $35. I'm very glad I got my water tested because the results were far different than what my local water report said.

The problem is that if the water supply is variable (and many are) the water that comes out of the tap on the day you brew may be appreciably different from the water that came out on the day you sent a sample to Wards. At least the municipal report represents an average.

It really doesn't matter much if ion concentrations vary by 50% or so. What does matter if alkalinity varies that much. The only way to track alkalinity at each brew is to measure it yourself each time using a simple test kit designed for pool owners or aquarists. I have recently come to more fully appreciate the 0 effective alkalinity method in which you set your water's alkalinity to 0 without actually having to know what it is. The method is described at:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/the-0-effective-alkalinity-method.651983/