well water testing?

A spot to talk general homebrew
Post Reply
User avatar
Maritimer
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 502
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:27 am
Name: Nick Baxter

well water testing?

Post by Maritimer » Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:26 pm

I'd like to get my well water tested, does anyone know a good company to call?
I found this company... http://www.ecowaterns.com/services.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; they will do a free test but only for 8 different impurities (I'm guessing the 8 that their filters are designed to protect against).
Beer.

User avatar
mr x
Mod Award Winner
Mod Award Winner
Posts: 13764
Joined: Fri Sep 24, 2010 5:30 pm
Location: Halifax/New Glasgow

Re: well water testing?

Post by mr x » Wed Sep 12, 2012 1:46 pm

Iirc, and there is a kit that the hospital does for $85. Real Estate agents should know.

Sent from my Nexus S
At Alexander Keith's we follow the recipes first developed by the great brewmaster to the absolute letter. :wtf:

User avatar
Jayme
Award Winner 2
Award Winner 2
Posts: 2733
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2010 6:27 pm
Name: Jayme
Location: Halifax

Re: well water testing?

Post by Jayme » Wed Sep 12, 2012 5:32 pm

mr x wrote:Iirc, and there is a kit that the hospital does for $85. Real Estate agents should know.

Sent from my Nexus S

I believe the hospital test is only for bacteria and other harmful things, not so much the mineral content. I could be wrong though - wouldn't hurt to check. It also used to be free - so either it isn't now, or there's more than one test available.
Certified BJCP Beer Judge
---------------------------------------
Delta Force Brewery - (chuck norris approved)

User avatar
CorneliusAlphonse
Award Winner 1
Award Winner 1
Posts: 2988
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 11:28 pm

Re: well water testing?

Post by CorneliusAlphonse » Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:08 am

used to be 15$ for a test that just tells you if it is safe to drink or not, and around 50 for one that quantifies the bacteria levels. that was probably 2004. no idea now.
planning: beer for my cousin's wedding
Fermenting: black ipa
Conditioning:
Kegged: barrel barleywine from 2014 - i think i still have this somewhere

User avatar
KMcK
Award Winner 1
Award Winner 1
Posts: 2344
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:54 pm
Name: Kyle
Location: Halifax, Nova Soctia

Re: well water testing?

Post by KMcK » Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:14 am

We can offer you some general comments about water geochemistry if we know where the well is located, whether it's dug or drilled, and whether it reaches bedrock or not.
McKeggerator:
  • no beer :(

User avatar
Graham.C
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 1900
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 12:35 pm
Name: Graham Clark
Location: Ottawa ON

Re: well water testing?

Post by Graham.C » Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:20 am

KMcK wrote:We can offer you some general comments about water geochemistry if we know where the well is located, whether it's dug or drilled, and whether it reaches bedrock or not.
Is this true for the tantramar region as well?
-Graham

User avatar
KMcK
Award Winner 1
Award Winner 1
Posts: 2344
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:54 pm
Name: Kyle
Location: Halifax, Nova Soctia

Re: well water testing?

Post by KMcK » Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:38 am

I can give it a shot, but the farther away it is the less familiar I'm likely to be with the geology. You've got better resources at Mt. A.
McKeggerator:
  • no beer :(

User avatar
Graham.C
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 1900
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 12:35 pm
Name: Graham Clark
Location: Ottawa ON

Re: well water testing?

Post by Graham.C » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:07 am

KMcK wrote:I can give it a shot, but the farther away it is the less familiar I'm likely to be with the geology. You've got better resources at Mt. A.
Our only Geologist is dean of science, which makes it harder to pop in and ask about small things. I'll pick his brain next time we are out for department beers.
-Graham

User avatar
KMcK
Award Winner 1
Award Winner 1
Posts: 2344
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:54 pm
Name: Kyle
Location: Halifax, Nova Soctia

Re: well water testing?

Post by KMcK » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:11 am

I just looked at the web site. What happened to the geology department (that's what I was referring to)? I suppose you've still got Jeff Ollerhead. He may know something useful. In the mean time send me some details by e-mail and I'll look into it.
McKeggerator:
  • no beer :(

User avatar
Graham.C
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 1900
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 12:35 pm
Name: Graham Clark
Location: Ottawa ON

Re: well water testing?

Post by Graham.C » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:19 am

KMcK wrote:I just looked at the web site. What happened to the geology department (that's what I was referring to)? I suppose you've still got Jeff Ollerhead. He may know something useful. In the mean time send me some details by e-mail and I'll look into it.
The geology department got absorbed by the Geography and Environment department. Jeff is the only one left and he doesn't do much on the research/teaching side of things these days. He is still helpful when he can be, but we have turned more into a biogeography/climatology department.

I'll get you the details when I get them from my landlord. Thanks!
-Graham

User avatar
bluenose
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 1984
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:49 pm
Location: New Glasgow

Re: well water testing?

Post by bluenose » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:23 am

I used the Agricultural College in Truro... around $50ish I believe for the mineral report
This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

User avatar
KMcK
Award Winner 1
Award Winner 1
Posts: 2344
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:54 pm
Name: Kyle
Location: Halifax, Nova Soctia

Re: well water testing?

Post by KMcK » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:29 am

Agricultural College? What's that?
McKeggerator:
  • no beer :(

User avatar
bluenose
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 1984
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 8:49 pm
Location: New Glasgow

Re: well water testing?

Post by bluenose » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:31 am

KMcK wrote:Agricultural College? What's that?
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=nova+scotia+agricultural+college
This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

User avatar
KMcK
Award Winner 1
Award Winner 1
Posts: 2344
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:54 pm
Name: Kyle
Location: Halifax, Nova Soctia

Re: well water testing?

Post by KMcK » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:42 am

You must be referring to Dalhousie University.
McKeggerator:
  • no beer :(

User avatar
Maritimer
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 502
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:27 am
Name: Nick Baxter

Re: well water testing?

Post by Maritimer » Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:07 pm

KMcK wrote:We can offer you some general comments about water geochemistry if we know where the well is located, whether it's dug or drilled, and whether it reaches bedrock or not.
I'm on a drilled well, hatchet lake NS (1970 prospect road), bedrock is pretty much a guarantee.
Beer.

chalmers
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5603
Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2010 4:17 pm
Name: Chris
Location: Halifax / On The Road Again
Contact:

Re: well water testing?

Post by chalmers » Thu Sep 13, 2012 7:10 pm

KMcK wrote:You must be referring to Dalhousie University.
Good thing you never refer to anything by a former or colloquial name, or this would be very pedantic of you.

Oh wait, it still is.

User avatar
KMcK
Award Winner 1
Award Winner 1
Posts: 2344
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:54 pm
Name: Kyle
Location: Halifax, Nova Soctia

Re: well water testing?

Post by KMcK » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:09 pm

Maritimer wrote:I'm on a drilled well, hatchet lake NS (1970 prospect road), bedrock is pretty much a guarantee.
It looks as if you're on the South Mountain Batholith, which is granitic. Therefore your water shouldn't be high in mineral content. Because granite is acidic, it has no capacity to buffer acidic rainwater. The overburden is a sandy loam, which is just as acidic, so I can assume you've got slightly acidic water.

The South Mountain Batholith is known to give off Radon gas, which is radioactive. I don't know what effect radiation would have on beer quality.
McKeggerator:
  • no beer :(

User avatar
Maritimer
Verified User
Verified User
Posts: 502
Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2012 10:27 am
Name: Nick Baxter

Re: well water testing?

Post by Maritimer » Fri Sep 14, 2012 10:00 am

KMcK wrote: The South Mountain Batholith is known to give off Radon gas, which is radioactive. I don't know what effect radiation would have on beer quality.
Must explain my wife's healthy glow, Night light Pale anyone?
Beer.

Post Reply

Return to “General Homebrew Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests