Clearwater Springs Water Analysis

Results are expressed in mg/L

Bicarbonate: 157, Calcium: 37.87, Chloride: 0.9, Magnesium: 11.8,  Nitrate: <0.05, Potassium: 2.5, Sodium: 4.7, Sulphate: 5.

Nitrate Levels
NO3- <0.05 (superior)

“Virginality indicates how protected a water is from its surroundings. It is determined by the water’s level of nitrate, an inorganic compound made up of one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms. Nitrate is easily carried through soil by water.

The substance can leach into the ground below the root zone through heavy rainfall or irrigation, and it may subsequently find its way into groundwater. In its natural state, water has less than 1 mg/l of nitrate; higher levels typically reveal a compromised water. This contamination may come from fertilizer, animal waste products, decaying plant matter, septic tanks, or sewage treatment systems. Only testing can determine nitrate levels in water, as nitrate has no taste, odor, or color.
The ability of blood to carry oxygen throughout the body may be impaired by very high nitrate contamination in drinking water; this may case methemoglobinemia (also known as blue baby syndrome). Cancer, disruption of thyroid function, birth defects, and miscarriages are other health risks posed by high levels of nitrate.
The World Health Organization recommends that exposure to nitrate should not exceed 50 mg/l for short periods. In the United States, drinking water may not contain more than 10 mg/l of nitrate, a level determined by a study in 1951 of infants suffering from blue baby syndrome. I use the following system of icons to describe the Virginality of bottled water:”

Written by Michael Mascha
www.finewaters.com

pH- 7.30

pH Factor of Water
“The pH (for "potential hydrogen") measures a substance’s level of acidity or alkalinity. On this scale, 1.0 to 6.9 is acidic, 7.0 is neutral, and 7.1 to 14.0 is alkaline (also referred to as basic).
Acidic
Sour tastes (such as that of vinegar) come from acids, whereas alkaline substances tend to taste bitter and may seem to have a slippery feel. 
Alkaline
Low alkaline waters (pH 7.1–7.5) may be perceived as sweet—this doesn’t mean that the water tastes sugary but simply that it tastes neither bitter nor sour. Since pH is a logarithmic scale, the difference of 1 degree indicates a tenfold increase or decrease in acidity or alkalinity. Water with a pH of 5, for example is ten times more acidic than that with a pH of 6.
I find that my palate tends to register acidity as a major component of taste at a pH of 5 or below. The following is how I describe Orientation, or the taste of water based on the pH factor, as you’ll see in my tasting notes:”

“Be sure not to let the pH factor have too much influence when considering the flavor of water. In the 5 to 10 range, the pH factor plays a minor role (contributing five percent of the flavor) relative to the TDS (twenty percent) and the carbonation (seventy-five percent)
pH of common substances: Vinegar pH 3Wine pH 2.8–3.8Beer pH 4–5Milk pH 6.3–6.6Seawater pH 8.3Bottled water pH 5–10”

Written by Michael Mascha
www.finewaters.com

Total Dissolved Solids:
250

TDS - Total Dissolved Solids in Bottled Water
“A water’s TDS is normally made up mainly of carbonates, bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates, phosphates, nitrates, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, iron, manganese, and a few other minerals. Gases, colloids, or sediment is not included in the TDS measurement.After mouthfeel, TDS is the second most important factor in matching water with food. The higher the mineral content, the more distinct a water’s taste can be.
Think of low TDS waters as comparable to white wines, with a clean, neutral taste and less weight; high TDS waters are more like red wines, with a heavier, more substantial feel. Very high TDS waters feel distinctly heavy and may have an aftertaste, much like a big, bold red wine. Most mineral water you drink, though, probably has a medium TDS measurement and is more like a heavy white or a light red wine.”

“Regulations regarding TDS vary throughout the world. In the United States, bottled water must contain at least 250 mg/l TDS to be labeled as mineral water. TDS above 500 mg/l qualifies a water as -low mineral content- more than 1,500 mg/l allows a - high mineral content - label.”

Written by Michael Mascha
www.finewaters.com