Parameters of CHCH Water.

[The Great White Hand]

Hi

Does anyone know if CHCH water (City supply) is high in Phosphates? What about Ph.? I do a lot of water changes (30% - 40% every 2-3 days) and have a battle with phsophates. I am growing out Discus in a planted tank so am aware I'm contributing to my problem.

Regards, TGWH

[Ianab]

Google is our friend

http://www.ccc.govt.nz/Water/HowWeGetOurWater/ChemicalAnalysis.asp

From the Christchurch council web page. They probably have a more detailed anaylsis that you should be able to get a copy of if you ask.

Cheers

Ian

[jn]

Hee heee..... There's no date on that , I wonder how old the analysis is? I'd be surprised if it was current, I have a hard time believing the Nitrates are still only at 1 even in town. I'd enquire direectly with the Council who should be able to give you stats from your nearest pumping station.

This is a bit of topic but I'm also laughing because I insisted the Council change their information in the section "Where our water comes from". It made no attempt to educate people about the recharge zone! (What's even funnier is that the woman at he Council had no idea herself about the recharge zone.. I'm laughing now but wasn't at the time!!)

They now clearly mention it and include a link to ECAN's website! I got tired of hearing poeple say our water coulnd't get polluted cause it came from the glaciers. The recharge zone is something that everyone in chch should be aware of because if they let things continue as they are going now we're looking at increased pollution and potentially having to go to a treated supply somehwere down the track.

[alanmin4304]

It probably is current because the water comes from the 2nd and 3rd aquafer. The water goes mainly towards lake Ellesmere and is about 10-15 ppm nitrate when it gets there but starts around West Melton and is probably less than 1 ppm. The deeper water is not so susceptable to nitrate leachate as the unconfined layers.

[jn]

Fair enough Alan :-? I still think it would be good to call the council and check as believe the water quality still varies from station to station. I think Janelle or someone may have gotten some info a while back by calling the council. (I don't see phosphates in that analysis anyway but maybe I missed it!)

My bore is at 20m and the nitrates test about 10ppm (we're just city side of Chattertons rd so still pretty close to town) but we're probably in the top aquifer. We've got a new bore down which we haven't switched to yet at 36m. Be interesting to see the difference!

[jn]

It was Milet who got water details from CCC in this thread.. still no mention of phophate though but they did offer to give more specifics if required

Quote:

Dear Michael

Thank you for your enquiry regarding water quality.

The chemical analysis shown on Council's website is an average or typical representation of the water chemistry in Christchurch.

In reality, the water supply is sourced from about 150 wells dotted around the City from which water is pumped around the different suburbs.

I have checked the chemical analyses for the wells associated with the pumping station closest to you (Spreydon) and have found the following:

pH = ranges from 7.3 to 8.0 (slightly alkali)

CaCO3 = ranges from 40 to 80 g/m3 (parts per million) - this is deemed to be soft to medium soft water.

Please let me know if there are other chemicals you would like to know the levels of for your area.

Regards

Gareth Phillips

Christchurch City Council

from here: http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/whats- ... 21310.html

[alanmin4304]

I worked in the Chattertons Rd area for a number of years (1974 - 1989). Your water is from around the old 60ft depth and is in the unconfined aquafer. It is therefore directly connected to the surface application of all that fertilizer applied by the now popular dairy farms so I would expect the nitrate to be up a bit. CCC will do a regular series of chemical tests and should be able to give you phosphate levals if you ring up. To get yours tested in the rural area might be cheapest if you can find a friendly pet shop. Not as accurate but a lot cheaper.

[jn]

I'll probably get my new bore tested by ECAN (a full blown analysis) since it's our drinking water. Will be good to have a baseline.

We're very aware of our water coming from an unconfined aquifer. It's the main reason I keep up with CCC/ECAN politics (as boring as that is!)

Our area is coming undeer high demand from Industrial businesses who don't want to pay the price to set up in the right zones. Could spell disaster for the water supply really. There's also a groundwater monitoring well that's checked yearly by ECAN a few doors away from us so gives us a pretty good idea what ours might be doing.

Were you in the quarry business Alan?

[alanmin4304]

I was in the quary businees---dealing with noise complaints and out in the middle of the night taking noise leval readings. I worked as a health/drainage/plumbing /dangerous goods Inspector in that area from 1974 till 1989. So I was dealing with rural water supplies and septic tanks.

[jn]

You'll be pleased to know nothing has changed then

[tHEcONCH]

Tap water in the Cashmere area contains about 5ppm Phosphate - not too terrible in a planted tank if you keep the stocking level at an appropriate level. If you are using any sort of plant fertiliser, don't - and the plants will suck up the phosphate.