Rainwater Analysis Results

[fraser_john]

OK, someone suggest that because of my scaling of my toilets that use rainwater that I get in touch with Alcoa and have them run some tests.

I was lucky and they quite happily obliged!

The results are attached and the following was their comments:

Hi John

Nice to meet you a couple of weeks ago.

As promised, we sent the water sample to a water testing laboratory Ecowise Environmental.

Please find attached the subsequent report.

We have been advised by Ecowise that all the results are what you would expect for a rainwater tank.

The testers have suggested you have a look at this website (if you havent already) www.health.vic.gov.au/environment/water, as it gives a good indication of the analytes to look at when concerned about drinking water quality.

I trust the information is helpful to you. If you have any further questions about the test itself, please contact Barry Knight on 5245 1427.

All the best with your brewing!

Kind regards

Kate

I will have to have a better read tonight, but a quick look does not explain why my dunnies might be scaling badly, but as far as brew water is concerned it looks good.

View attachment 811447.pdf

 

[Stuster]

Looks like nice soft water that you can make anything you like with. I'd say adding a bit of calcium will always be helpful (what form depends on the colour of the beer you are making). :icon_cheers:

 

[Gavo]

Good work Frazer. I have been started to do partials and thinking of future AG and what to do about tank/rainwater.

Cheers
Gavo.

 

[WilBier]

Can you tell me me more about the scaling in your rainwater-fed toilets.

I might me able to shed some light on that.

- When was the rainwater tank installed?
- How far is the tank from the toilets?
- Is there a first-flush device on the tank?
- What type/material is the pipe between the tank and the and toilets?
- Is there any degree of scaling back at the pump which pumps rainwater the the toilets?
- What else does the rainwater supply?
- Do you have any filtration between the tank and the fixtures?
- Is the scaling affecting water in the bowl or the working parts in the cistern?


Wilbier

 

[Guest Lurker]

Good news. I now re-occupy my temporarily abandoned stance that you should treat rain water tanks as starting at zero to calculate your additions. Nice of Alcoa to save you $50 to $100.

 

[Bribie G]

John Palmer goes right into water treatment. I'll be using tank water and going high calcium as I'll be doing Yorkshire Bitters initially.

 

[fraser_john]

Can you tell me me more about the scaling in your rainwater-fed toilets.

I might me able to shed some light on that.

- When was the rainwater tank installed?
- How far is the tank from the toilets?
- Is there a first-flush device on the tank?
- What type/material is the pipe between the tank and the and toilets?
- Is there any degree of scaling back at the pump which pumps rainwater the the toilets?
- What else does the rainwater supply?
- Do you have any filtration between the tank and the fixtures?
- Is the scaling affecting water in the bowl or the working parts in the cistern?


Wilbier

- When was the rainwater tank installed? 2005
- How far is the tank from the toilets? Less than 20 meters
- Is there a first-flush device on the tank? No
- What type/material is the pipe between the tank and the and toilets? Plastic pipe
- Is there any degree of scaling back at the pump which pumps rainwater the the toilets? None
- What else does the rainwater supply? Washing machine, no scaling
- Do you have any filtration between the tank and the fixtures? No
- Is the scaling affecting water in the bowl or the working parts in the cistern? affecting bowl only

 

[WilBier]

- When was the rainwater tank installed? 2005
- How far is the tank from the toilets? Less than 20 meters
- Is there a first-flush device on the tank? No
- What type/material is the pipe between the tank and the and toilets? Plastic pipe
- Is there any degree of scaling back at the pump which pumps rainwater the the toilets? None
- What else does the rainwater supply? Washing machine, no scaling
- Do you have any filtration between the tank and the fixtures? No
- Is the scaling affecting water in the bowl or the working parts in the cistern? affecting bowl only

Thanks,


The solubility of calcium is generally decreased as temperature increases, which is why you generally find scaling at the bottom of hot water devices such as kettles and rice steamers.
The water in cistern and bowl are always cold (calcium remains dissolved) but you have the same water supply you WM and WC, but only scaling in the WC, hmmm.
Rainwater is often so low in alkalinity that if you were to fill a new swimming pool with it, in order to find a mineral balance, it can pull calcium out of the tiles to meet equilibrium - bad for tiles and for the pool...
I may make the conclusion that you have a ceramic cistern as part of this toilet. There is a chance that the calcium is leaching out of the cistern and/or bowl and depositing itself at the bottom.
You could replace the cistern with a new suite to prevent this occuring in the future, ( I am/was a plumber and I live in Geelong so I can help you out with this in Drysdale if you like ).

The other thing that strikes me a odd is the presence of fluoride in the rainwater sample.

There generally isn't any fluoride in rainwater, as it is added in townwater only. Yes the concentration is reportedly low, there may be a chance that Incitec Pivot (across the bay) are attributing some fluorosilic acid fallout on your roof from their process - but I am getting creative now.

The sample in my opinion is actually consistent with mains-water or a rainwater/mainswater mix due the slight alkalinity, fluoride and presence of dissolved solids.
Is there a chance of a mains-water top-up short-circuit? Was the sample taken directly from your tank?

Hope this is helping,

Wilbier

 

[fraser_john]

When the tank was installed, it was filled to 1/3 with town water to prevent it from blowing away whilst empty, that could account for the flouride?

But it could also account for other levels of ions on the water as well, so pure rainwater may also be different to the composition of my tank, thats not cool.

As more rain falls and is collected as the tank level rises/falls, the composition is going to continually vary, so its not really going to be too easy to adjust my water for my brew.

Might have to go the basics, chuck a teaspoon of calcium chloride in for malty beers, and chuck some sulphatey type stuff (cannot recall what it is right now) in for bitter beers

John