Water.. Water.. what water??

[JustStillin]

Hello All,

What water do you all use for your wash and for diluting? Tap water or spring water or distilled water or do you use your still to distill your own water? I'm wondering coz of the flouride and chlorine etc in tap water i'm thinking it will affect the taste, maybe not in the wash, but definately in the diluting? I have no idea really, just asking the brains trust.

Thanks,

JS

[SBB]

I use rain water for both purposes.......Id say town water with all its additives would have an effect on both fermentation and final taste.

[Frank]

Hey JustStillin
It used to be the case anyway that Melbourne tap water was less horrible than some other capital cities BUT...
during peak demand times and/or dry spells and/or hot weather etc the treatment plants/water authorities are allowed to (indeed, almost obligated to) put all sorts of chemicals in the mix to keep it 'potable' :puke-huge:.
I suggest you ask questions of them if considering using town supplies.

Mate, when I lived in Brisbane, I worked for a local water authority and I PURCHASED bulk spring water for my ferments because I know what THEY put in the tap stuff :shock:
(now its easy, I use fresh rain water 8-) ).

[MacStill]

I miss rain water already, I've used tap water for my first couple of wash's here so we'll see how big the difference is I guess.

I'll only use spring water for diluting now, specially after reading how poor the quality of water is over here in WA........ then there's the fact that last time here the tap water just made me crook with the squirts :crying-green:

[R-sole]

Tap water for ferments, bottled spring water for diluting (sure it's spring water :roll: ).

[maheel]

tap water all the way

easy :)

[JustStillin]

Thanks for the varied responses. I guess i'll have to try it and find out... part of the fun :)

Frank, you've got me concerned now... don't know if i want to know what they put in it :shock:

My first TPW is already bubbling away with tap water.

[Sam.]

I have heard that you can go to the council and they should provide you with a breakdown of whats in the water....don't know if it's true or not, couldn't hurt to ask?

[stubbydrainer]

I've only got rain water ....so that's all I use for everything :D

[Kimbo]

Postby maheel » Sat Nov 26, 2011 6:48 am
tap water all the way

Yip, same here.

[audistiller]

Do you use an inline filter on your tap water Kimbo...?
I am in Perth at the moment (Rockingham) and the water here seems fine, but luckily there is a filter plumbed into the kitchen sink with a separate tap. I am rather concerned when I get back home, because the water quality is less than desirable. Since I am renting, I don't really want to go spending a fortune on a decent filtering system, but I will be looking at my options here in Perth before I head home. I might find a decent filter reasonably cheap, will have to look into it I suppose.

[maheel]

you could jut get a inline filter and hook it to any garden tap

run the tap slow and you have filtered water (running fast can push stuff past the filter under pressure)

something like
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5x-Inline-10 ... 27c58833ec

i have one on my coffee machine to reduce scale build up in the machine, but i dont bother with it for brewing or drinking... (i use a omnipure not the brand in the link, specific for a coffee machine)

[audistiller]

you could jut get a inline filter and hook it to any garden tap

The water is crap where I live, so getting a half decent filter will be worth it, especially when I look into my cup of coffee and see little dark bits on the surface. I have been looking into the twin & triple undersink units, they seem pretty good value so I will probably buy one of them.

[Kimbo]

Hi Aud,
i have never used a filter, allthough i recon i need one coz my tap water has heaps of Chlorine.
i used rain water a couple of times and got a much better ferment.

[stubbydrainer]

when I look into my cup of coffee and see little dark bits on the surface.

I'd say ya spoon isn't working properly :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling: :laughing-rolling:

[crow]

yeah I need to get a rain water tank . i have a 44 for drinking thats it . After the floods here they've just gone overboard with the chlorine and fluoride , i was just drinking coffee with a couple of table spoons in it to hide the flavor but got crook one day and tried to drink it neat :puke-huge: next day i hooked a 44 up . I'm sure its slowing my ferment down to buggery , what took 4 days in SA is taking 3 weeks and counting . hoping the still pulls the flavor out

[cdbrown]

I've got a 2-stage cartridge filter I use on my brewing and plan to do the same for distilling. Helps to remove some chlorine and other particulates.

It was mentioned earlier in the thread - but you contact your local water supplier (not the council) and ask for a water report. Unfortunately it will just provide max and min levels and show everything is within spec. Would be better if they provided the average readings. Even more unfortunately is that the sample points are probably nowhere near your property and don't take into account various other additives coming from the pipes.

[crow]

yeah this is a high rainfall area in the foothills of the very start of the dividing range . the water wouldn't be to bad , its all the crap they put in . Since the floods they've gone so overboard you can see it and smell it in the water , just bullshit

[audistiller]

but you contact your local water supplier (not the council) and ask for a water report.

Because I live in the Northwest of WA, our water is pumped from down deep in a bore field, and pumped into big tanks right next to town. I'm not that bothered going that far into what's in the water, I will just buy one of those under-sink triple filtration units and be done with it. The ones I looked at were around the $250 mark, and for about $300 I can get the decent one and a spare set of filters, which should last about a year.

This mob seems to be the best I have found so far - http://www.psifilters.com.au/17-triple-undersink



Regards

[audistiller]

I'd say ya spoon isn't working properly

I don't use a spoon, I use a measuring cup, I like my coffee like sump oil. :))