Canberra drinking water quality | damo.otenko

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Canberra Water

Data about Canberra's drinking water hardness and composition focusing on the following ions:

Calcium (Ca⁺²)
Chloride (Cl^-)
Magnesium Mg⁺²
Sodium (Na⁺)
Sulfate (SO₄^-2)

The importance of these ions and water composition in relation to mash pH and the impact on yeast is really well explained in this article on brewing water basics courtesy of BrewersFriend and 'Understanding the Mash pH' from John Palmer's How To Brew.

In simplistic terms:

Calcium promotes clarity, flavour and stability in beer.
Chloride can make beers seem fuller and sweeter, the opposite effect to sulfate.
Magnesium is an important yeast nutrient however at higher concentrations can give a sour-bitter taste to beer.
Sodium at higher concentrations can cause beer to taste minerally or metallic.
Sulfate higlights hop bitterness, making beers seem drier and crisper.

According to John Palmer's article on Beer and Brewing, "a sulfate-to-chloride ratio of 2:1 or higher will tend to give the beer a drier, more assertive hop balance, while a beer with a ratio of 1:2 will tend to have a less bitter, rounder, and maltier balance".

Brewing water calculators:

2019-2020

Summary data for all water quality zones

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	1209	6.89	8.84	7.84	8.10
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	121	9.18	19.90	13.77	17.50
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	48	5.20	17.80	9.50	17.40
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	121	1.20	5.27	2.37	4.93
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	48	2.90	10.10	5.40	9.90
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	48	3.5	31.40	11.80	30.00

Summary data for water quality zone 4: Tuggeranong

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	266	7.8	8.84	7.92	8.26
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	24	11.60	20.80	14.80	19.19
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	12	5.20	17.80	9.80	15.70
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	24	1.20	5.20	2.91	5.06
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	12	2.90	10.10	5.90	10.00
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	12	3.6	31.40	13.70	24.50

2018-2019

Summary data for all water quality zones

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	1200	7.17	8.72	7.82	8.09
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	120	9.88	19.60	13.23	16.81
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	48	3.70	18.10	11.20	16.40
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	120	0.83	4.74	1.84	4.36
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	48	3.00	9.30	4.60	9.10
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	48	<0.4	34.20	12.70	25.00

Summary data for water quality zone 4: Tuggeranong

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	264	7.57	8.72	7.92	8.20
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	24	10.80	18.70	14.08	18.54
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	12	3.70	17.40	10.90	17.30
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	24	1.01	4.44	2.15	4.38
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	12	3.10	9.10	5.30	8.80
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	12	<0.4	28.00	13.70	26.60

2017-2018

Summary data for all water quality zones

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	1205	6.82	8.91	7.78	8.03
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	120	10.30	18.20	13.94	17.81
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	48	2.50	9.90	5.30	7.70
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	120	0.76	4.35	1.83	4.19
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	48	2.70	8.40	4.60	8.30
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	48	<0.4	24.80	8.10	24.30

Summary data for water quality zone 4: Tuggeranong

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	265	7.50	8.91	7.88	8.29
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	24	11.10	18.20	14.46	17.83
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	12	2.50	9.90	5.70	8.70
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	24	0.76	4.33	1.94	4.01
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	12	2.80	8.40	4.70	8.30
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	12	<0.4	24.80	9.10	24.60

2016-2017

Summary data for all water quality zones

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	1200	7.40	8.89	7.76	8.05
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	120	9.43	17.80	12.62	16.21
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	48	3.00	7.70	4.00	6.70
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	120	0.72	3.65	1.24	3.34
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	48	2.20	7.60	3.40	7.40
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	48	0.60	25.70	4.20	22.40

Summary data for water quality zone 4: Tuggeranong

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	264	7.49	8.89	7.87	8.0
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	24	10.50	16.80	12.90	15.59
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	12	3.00	6.90	4.00	6.60
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	24	0.72	3.65	1.17	3.42
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	12	2.20	7.60	3.40	6.20
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	12	0.60	23.40	5.30	21.90

2015-2016

Summary data for all water quality zones

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	1081	7.32	8.89	7.83	8.16
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	122	10.30	18.00	12.90	16.40
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	48	2.80	9.20	4.30	7.70
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	122	0.68	3.93	1.34	3.60
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	48	2.60	8.40	3.70	7.40
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	48	0.60	28.00	5.10	25.00

Summary data for water quality zone 4: Tuggeranong

Analyte	Units	Limit of Reporting	Number of Samples	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	95th Percentile
pH	pH	<0.01	260	7.32	8.89	7.92	8.40
Calcium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	25	10.30	17.00	13.29	16.88
Chloride	mg/L	<0.1	12	2.90	9.20	4.40	8.30
Magnesium dissolved	mg/L	<0.05	25	0.68	3.93	1.36	3.28
Sodium dissolved	mg/L	<0.1	12	2.70	8.40	3.80	7.70
Sulphate	mg/L	<0.4	12	0.70	25.00	5.10	25.00

Canberra Annual Drinking Water Quality Reports.