Nelson Water Profile?

[Matt Downer]

Hey there,

Been a while since posting on here. I have started to think about improving my end result beer by improving the overall quality of my tap water depending on the style of beer I brew. Obviously, that starts with knowing what minerals and numbers are in the water and also PH for making a happy mash.

So, does anyone out there reckon they could offer me their mineral numbers on the Nelson tap water?

[Matthew Vincent]

Ring your local Water Treatment Plant. Tell them why you want the info and they 'should' email you the latest test results.(Water Profile)
I did it with the New Plymouth WTP and they sent it straight through.

[Matt Downer]

Yep thats the idea but afraid i will get something complex again. Ive already got a lengthy report but it seems to have too much detail and i cant figure it out. Will try upload it here. See if anyone can decypher to the basic elements/minerals.

[Nathan]

Hey Matthew, Fellow NP brewer here Id be keen to get that info you got [e-mail], Chur

[Matthew Vincent]

Sweet - I'll email it to you on or before Tuesday as it's on my work computer.

[Matt Downer]

Keen here too if it differs from the one I found at home. #mattdowner#@#gmail#.#com#

[Rhyzla]

Hiya,

I'm in Nelson too & am in the same boat. I contacted the Nelson city council about this(with reasons why I needed the info) and have been "redirected to another department" (ie.fobbed off) several times now. Currently I'm waiting for a reply from the operations department. Seeing as the council own the water treatment plant you'd think this would be the correct channel to go thru? I may just give up waiting and get a friend of mine who is a microbiologist at Cawthron to test it - might be alot quicker! But surely this information is out there, just how to get it...are regional councils legally supposed to test the drinking water & report to the public/interested parties?? Any help/ progress greatly appreciated...Brew On ;o)

[Matt Downer]

Andy Selwood would be a good contact for sure. I've uploaded the doc if you are keen to see it.

[Des Ross]

Hi Matt. I have a report with comprehensive analysis...it may be what you have already as it's very detailed. If you, or anyone else in Nelson wants a copy, email me.... [e-mail]

[Matt Downer]

Might see what your report looks like if anything similar to mine etc...

[Matthew Vincent]

http://www.brewersfriend.com/water-chemistry/

[Matt Downer]

Awesome resource - I went on and missed some things but got a general idea of how it works. Good to know - cheers mate. I actually have already used their SGvsTempCalc a few times haha! Once someone can help me fill i nthe blanks in my other post, I should be good to go for making up my own numbers. Would be great to see what someone else uses for their numbers for say a malty beer and then a hoppy beer.

[Matt Downer]

Ok guys, here's the tricky to find report! Now let's back things up - trying to get someone to point out the numbers that are important for me to look at. Can someone have a look. See attachment. Some are obvious like Calcium, Magnesium and Sodium but I just can't see Chlorides or Sulfates - mind you the names of chemicals are there without molecular names/numbers...

Also, here's the original email from the worker at the Council who emailed this report to me:

"""I have attached a copy of the most recent annual chemical analysis for our water supply. The column of interest is 'Clearwater' which is the supply into the city from the water treatment plant. The values for the specific parameters you mentioned in your email are surprisingly constant year to year so are a good ball-park figure. Depending on your location, the hardness (Ca, Mg) and silica may increase slightly. pH also may be higher."""

BOOM!