Need Help (like everyone else) Canton Ohio Water Report

[zinger084]

Can someone give me some pointers on my water report?

http://www.cantonohio.gov/water/pdf/09-report.pdf

I have been using Spring Water for my Extract batches but I am thinking about moving to PM or AG instead of extract and I am looking to use my house water.

Will my water need certain additives so that I can use it instead of spring water in the future?

 

[dfohio]

Your report is not helpful for brewing water knowledge. Call them up and ask for levels of calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfate, chloride, and bicarbonates in ppm. Then come back with those numbers.

 

[MrSaLTy]

My local city also sends this out and they call it a 'water quality report'. The one you want (and one I actually had to ask for as its not something they send out) is called a detailed water chemical analysis. I'm sure the water department can provide it if you ask.

 

[zinger084]

Well... I got half of the numbers... not sure if this will help. The water works lab tech told me that they don't test for sulfates, chlorides, or bicarbonates since they are not required by the EPA.

I have the following:

Ca: 356
Mg: 115
Sodium: 44

Is this enough information, or will I need to find out the other info some way???

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

Well... I got half of the numbers... not sure if this will help. The water works lab tech told me that they don't test for sulfates, chlorides, or bicarbonates since they are not required by the EPA.

I have the following:

Ca: 356
Mg: 115
Sodium: 44

Is this enough information, or will I need to find out the other info some way???

Call the water department # on the first page and they should give you more info or a link to a more detailed report.

 

[zinger084]

Call the water department # on the first page and they should give you more info or a link to a more detailed report.

I did call that number and this is all the information they gave me.

 

[dfohio]

Well, you have 2 options.

Option 1 - Get a water analysis from a place like Ward Labs. It will tell you everything you need to know for brewing.

Option 2 - Start building your own water with distilled/RO water and salts. With Mg that high, you are already going to have to dilute with distilled water 5:1 of your water.

With that said, I recommend option 2. My water is awful, like most Ohioans, so I choose to build it from scratch.