Water Analysis

[Andrew]

Hi All,

Does anyone know where you can get your hands on a water report in South Australia? Ive tried searching on the net, SAWater etc lots of warm fuzzies but no data on what is actually in the water, dissolved solids, levels of Ca++, Mg++,Na+,Cl- etc etc :blink:

Id like to know what the average SA tapwater has in it so I can work out what needs to be added or subtracted to make good Liquor. Particularly the Myponga reservoir water, which supplies the south coast.

Does anyone know whats in it? (besides old car wrecks, bodies, toxic algae etc h34r: ) or where I can find out?

Cheers :blink:

 

[Tony M]

Andrew,
I did the same search in WA and got the same results. I then phoned our water Authority and was put onto a very helpful fellow who emailed a full report to me within 24 hours, so you can probably do the same with your people.

 

[SteveSA]

Hi Andrew

A nice part of the world is Middleton. Anyway here's the water analysis for Myponga. These figures are updated every June and are averaged over the last 5 years' findings. Although, I am told they vary very little from year to year.

Ca 22ppm
Mg 13ppm
Na 89ppm
SO4 59ppm
Cl 144ppm
HCO3 61ppm

And for those interested, the Happy Valley reservoir

Ca 27ppm
Mg 17ppm
Na 76ppm
SO4 59ppm
Cl 134ppm
HCO3 78ppm

Ph for both is 7.4

Regards
Steve

 

[Andrew]

Thanks Steve, very much appreciated!

Where did you manage to get these figures from?

Tony, I would ring SA Water here but I rekon I would get onto one of those 30 minute phone ques!

You'd think they would be able to post their water quality results on their website....

Cheers!

 

[GMK]

Andrew

Why not brew with Rain Water - I do.

Then you have a clean slate and can add the elements you need to make the water profile you want...This is on th elist to try one day..

There is a good book - Beer Captured that has heaps of recipes and lists the water profile for their recipes.

 

[Andrew]

GMK I could use rainwater but I was concerned about the level of salt in it. I live right next to the beach, and we almost permenantly live in a salt haze. You couldn't walk safely on the colorbond roof of my house - its too slippery from an almost permanent mist of salt over it. Although the tank gets a fair bit of use it has to be drained every few years to remove the salt nodules that build up on the bottom (I kid you not). A galvo rainwater tank in these marine conditions lasts only 7 years then its rusted away. Hell the lid on my 5000 gallon tank only lasted 4 years!
I have no idea what excess salt would do to a brew...

Cheers.

 

[SteveSA]

Hah! SA Water! They're up there with Asher's Aussie Post story.

I ended up getting on to the Water Treatment Board because SA Water don't understand what a water analysis report is. Why would they? :lol:

Imagine my surprise... :blink:

Anyway they can be contacted on 8265 9259.

Steve.

 

[GMK]

GMK I could use rainwater but I was concerned about the level of salt in it. I live right next to the beach, and we almost permenantly live in a salt haze. You couldn't walk safely on the colorbond roof of my house - its too slippery from an almost permanent mist of salt over it. Although the tank gets a fair bit of use it has to be drained every few years to remove the salt nodules that build up on the bottom (I kid you not). A galvo rainwater tank in these marine conditions lasts only 7 years then its rusted away. Hell the lid on my 5000 gallon tank only lasted 4 years!
I have no idea what excess salt would do to a brew...

Cheers.

Get a Bushmans plastic Rain Water Tank.

I think that it would still be less than in normal tap water.

 

[chiller]

Hi Andrew,

You are correct about the salt levels in the rainwater being so close to the sea. You would have no real way of knowing the exact make up of the rainwater regardless of the tank you use. I live at Campbelltown and brew using rainwater and can "virtually" assume my water has ver low salt levels. Bird and rat droppings .... now that's another story

I keep the gutters clean and run the first real rain to waste before filling the tank and when it is full all water after that also goes to waste so the water in the tank has a good chance to settle. Each year I drain the tank and give it a very good flush out.


With Adelaide water to keep the sulphate chloride salts in balance you need a 2:1 ratio.
ie based on the Middleton report Steve provided

288 ppm of SO4 and the already existing 144 ppm of Chloride.

Maintaining this ratio will allow you to achieve a well balanced Pale Ale or English bitter.

Lagers are too harsh with Adelaide water. If you want to make a lager get the water from a friend's rainwater tank away from the coast. If possible a poly tank will ensure no mettalic "tank" taste.

In general terms Sulphates give a crisper cleaner hop bitterness and the Chloride will give a sweeter full mouth feel with emphasis on malt flavour.

As Adelaide water stands with no additions you can make an excellent Stout or porter.

Steve.

 

[Andrew]

Thanks guys... a wealth of knowledge as ususal.

Chiller its the English ales I'm interested in at the moment, so hopefully a small amount of messing with the water will do the trick. Ta.

GMK I'm planning on replacing my tank with a poly one soon... already have the quotes.
I'll leave it 'till spring though, so the storms can blow the old one away, save me having to cut it up and take it to the dump!! :lol: :lol:

Cheers,