My Water

[ClarnoBrewer]

Alright, I've sifted through a lot of the info, but I'm interested in what folks think of this water profile:

pH: 6.5
TDS: 221ppm
Na: 9
K: 1
Ca: 34
Mg: 17
CaCo3: 156
Nitrate: 14 (this seems high)
sulfate: 5
Chloride: 8
Carbonate: <1
BiCarbonate: 115
Alkalinity: 94
Phosphorous: 0.76
Iron: <0.01

Thanks!

 

[ClarnoBrewer]

Doing some research on Nitrates, I can't help but think this number is off. I used Ward labs, and maybe wasn't as clinical as I should have been. We get our water tested quarterly, and haven't had any issues, so I'll have to see what the other lab has been getting.

 

[mabrungard]

Overall, the levels don't seem too bad. But the ionic balance is off as reported above. Is the magnesium really 17 ppm? That is higher than desirable, but acceptable. If the nitrate concentration is actually that high, its a definitely a problem. On top of the fact that the ions don't balance as reported, is this a raw Ward report with the sulfate reported as SO4-S and the nitrate reported as NO3-N???? If that is the case, the nitrate is actually 62 ppm when reported as nitrate and that is over 6 times the safe limit.

By the way, the report balances very nicely if the sulfate and nitrate are converted to their true concentrations.

Not good water if this is true.

 

[Parkinson1963]

I assume you are on a well.

If so I agree nitrates this high indicate sewer contamination, the phosphorous number also confirms this conclusion. I would get a bacteria sample to your health unit sooner than later.

 

[ajdelange]

Given that this is a Ward Lab report the nitrate is reported "as nitrogen" and the sulfate "as sulfur" and one must interpret them this way in order to get the report to balance.

The MCL for nitrate is 10 mg/L as nitrogen or 44 as nitrate. This level is set in order to protect infants against methemoglobinemia as their stomachs contain bacteria which can reduce it to nitrite which is where the real danger lies. Levels as high as 14 as nitrogen or 62 as nitrate are 40% over the MCL but should be OK for healthy adults.

High nitrate levels can be from exposure to sewage or manure from agricultural runoff but they can also come from nitrate based fertilizer or naturally occurring nitrate in the soil. The same is true of phosphate. If you live in an area with nitrate and phosphate bearing rock there isn't much you can do about it except install an RO system but if the source is runoff or septic field contamination you can think about relocating the well. At least check that the top is secured so that no animals are pooping in there. A bacterial test would probably be a good idea.

Yes 14 is high but by 40%, not 500%. So your situation is not as dire as has been implied. You can brew with this water but the alkalinity would have to be dealt with. And bear in mind that if it is exposed to nitrate reducing bacteria this water will wind up with nitrite in it which poisons yeast as well as infants. This water should not be given to children under 2 yrs of age.