# High PH tapwater is S Surrey



## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

I was doing some water changes and testing today and discoverd the tap water
coming out of my taps here ins S Surry/20th and KG area is 8.6PH

Has anyone else noticed this?

Could it be an increas in acid from "acid rain" flowing into the reserve in N Van.


----------



## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

I would think if were due to acids in the rain, the Ph would be lower than normal...not higher. Unless your referring to them raising the Ph in the supply itself due to acid rain flowing in.


----------



## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

That's fairly alkaline. Could be putting in additives to compensate the rain fall, but I have no clue.


----------



## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

My bad 
my tapwater is alkaline not acidic


----------



## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

I'm moving to south surrey lol. What were your findings when your tested it in the past?


----------



## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

We seem to be high on this end of the pipeline.

I just tested the rain water runn off in my 600 gallon blue box pond.

That water has a PH of 9 !


----------



## Vancitycam (Oct 23, 2012)

Interesting read and good thinking guys, I have never tested my tap water. I guess I know what I'm doing tonight after class lol water test the tank, water change and tap water test. Would be interesting to know as here in sunshine hills we get our water from the watershed unless the reserve is low then we get regular muni water and you can smell the difference. Ill post up any weird findings...


----------



## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

Interesting...have you tested GH and KH levels too?


----------



## mollyb (May 18, 2010)

municipalities are supposed to keep their water within certain params, pH is usually 6.5 - 7.5, I know this does not always happen, and often where they test can make a difference, and no telling what happens to the water in the lines or in any intermediate holding tanks. I know my water in Victoria often tests well below 6.5. Still 8.6 and 9 for rainwater seem off. are you really, really confident in your test kit, as in not too old, sometimes they are old off the shelf. or if electronic - was it calibrated?, or the probe got dried out?


----------



## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

I have an electronic probe

it is tested in the PH4/7/9 test - calibration solutions.

I back up my PH7 test with test strips.

It seems to me my calibrations are correct.

Tap water today is 8.6PH


----------



## nigerian prince (Mar 8, 2013)

could it have anything to do with that rainstorm last weekend?


----------



## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

That is what I am wondering<G>


----------



## mollyb (May 18, 2010)

mikebike said:


> I have an electronic probe
> 
> it is tested in the PH4/7/9 test - calibration solutions.
> 
> ...


wow. mostly organics in the water tend to lower pH, I wonder if the muni equipment is going a bit wonky. Or the guy running it. Might be worth contacting them. The definitions for potable water are quite strict and 8.something probably doesn't fit. I bet they would be interested.


----------



## mollyb (May 18, 2010)

just checked canadian guidelines, potable water is 6.5 - 8.5 pH, my bad, sorry, looks like the watershed from coquitlam is the highest pH you might get as the capilano and seymor systems seem to be at the low end of the range. they measure the coquitlam water shed up to 8.4 in 2012, most current posted params. I bet it could fluctuate, and like already stated, they could be could be (over) correcting.


----------



## hp10BII (Apr 23, 2010)

I read a lower mainland water report a few years back, they said that they have the option of adding carbonates to the water to make the water less acidic to help preserve pipes. I wonder if that is the cause, that's why I'm curious about GH/KH levels.


----------



## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

Metro Vancouver has been slowly increasing the pH of our tap water over the past 10 years to prevent ultra acidic water from eroding copper and iron water pipes and mains. Though the pH is now rather high, the buffer is EXTREMELY weak. (Less than 1.5 degrees of KH). Aerating the water for a few hours will usually lower the pH some, but just get a little weak acid like acid buffer and use it very sparingly.

Better to have a slightly buffered pH than a bunch of heavy metals

You have to remember that potable water still falls into this range given due to the very low level of dissolved solids. Not to mention the fact that at pressure in water mains the previous ultra low pH readings <5 were very damaging. Remember that reaction rates depend on three things heat pressure and time.


----------



## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

Gh in our water is usually less than 5ppm or 0.25 dkh

Kh is usually no more than 20 ppm or 1 dkh


----------

