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Anyone got any idea on how to go about getting a water profile of a private well?

Thanks,
R

Relic wrote:Anyone got any idea on how to go about getting a water profile of a private well?

Thanks,
R

http://www.wardlab.com/images/SampleForms/wsis.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In HRM, go to your nearest hospital lab and ask for a test kit. Fill in the form (and bottle(s)) and return to the lab. You have to be careful what you ask for on the form though, because their default is to test for coliform and heavy metals - which really aren't the things you care about so much.

[though it might actually be cheaper to go Tony's route and send a bottle to Nebraska!]

derek wrote:...their default is to test for coliform and heavy metals - which really aren't the things you care about so much.

I'll remember that next time you offer me one of your homebrews.

KMcK wrote:

derek wrote:...their default is to test for coliform and heavy metals - which really aren't the things you care about so much.

I'll remember that next time you offer me one of your homebrews.

ROFLMAO

Tony L wrote:

Relic wrote:Anyone got any idea on how to go about getting a water profile of a private well?

Thanks,
R

http://www.wardlab.com/images/SampleForms/wsis.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks Tony, although I was kinda hoping for something a little closer...

I am pretty sure my water is fairly soft, doesn't take much soap to work up a lather. Comes from 200 feet under the ground, and does it ever taste good. A few people keep stopping by to fill up their jugs for drinking water. If they weren't family I'd start charging.

Is brewing with soft water a concern? Is there an easy way to test my water for hardness/softness? Chemistry wasn't one of my strong subjects.....

The quick and dirty way is to measure the TDS, total dissolved solids.

Not sure if there is a pool supply place in Clarenville, if so, they could possibly check for the required minerals in your water needed for a good mash.
I have soft water here in town, and with it, I can make just about anything with some adjustments. Hard water makes it hard to do some styles.
Easier to add something than take it out.

Having said that, I stopped fooling with my water and just check for pH of the mash. Usually very little adjustment is needed if any.

I just googled water testing in St Johns and got this as a post on one of the hits.

I know here in St. John's you can pick up a water testing kit and simply drop it off, although I'm not sure what type of results you get back rather just being told it's safe to drink.

KMcK wrote:

derek wrote:...their default is to test for coliform and heavy metals - which really aren't the things you care about so much.

I'll remember that next time you offer me one of your homebrews.

Hey! I boil my wort! Coliforms can't handle that.

But seriously, you won't get a permit to operate a well that doesn't meet the coliform and heavy metal limits, but they shouldn't affect the flavour, unless they're really seriously beyond health limits.

What if you overshoot your gravity? Do you top it up with boiled water?

Tony L wrote:Not sure if there is a pool supply place in Clarenville, if so, they could possibly check for the required minerals in your water needed for a good mash.
I have soft water here in town, and with it, I can make just about anything with some adjustments. Hard water makes it hard to do some styles.
Easier to add something than take it out.

Having said that, I stopped fooling with my water and just check for pH of the mash. Usually very little adjustment is needed if any.

I just googled water testing in St Johns and got this as a post on one of the hits.

I know here in St. John's you can pick up a water testing kit and simply drop it off, although I'm not sure what type of results you get back rather just being told it's safe to drink.

Maybe I'll check the pool supply places in town, nothing around my area.

I think the free water testing in St. John's you speak of is the one provided by health services (or something like that), I get this done every 6 months. Just a basic result for e-coli and fecal matter, that's it. Just let's ya know if it's fit for consumption or not.

I know you can buy aquarium testing kits that measure water hardness. Never used them, so I don't know how informative it might be.

I seem to recall a place on Topsail Rd. in Paradise that had water testing on their sign out front, but don't know if they do domestic testing, or even the name of the place now.

Tony L wrote:I seem to recall a place on Topsail Rd. in Paradise that had water testing on their sign out front, but don't know if they do domestic testing, or even the name of the place now.

Well, that's a little bit of help....

akr71 wrote:I know you can buy aquarium testing kits that measure water hardness. Never used them, so I don't know how informative it might be.

Hmmmm.....maybe worth checking out. I know I do have the aquarium kit for testing the pH.