Got my water test results - what do these numbers mean?

[CountryBumkin]

I sent a water sample to NTL for testing - and just got back the results.

This water was taken from the Well outlet (before my water treatment system). Is there anything to worry about? I suppose the important thing it to get a test now at my inside faucet (after the water treatment system).
My water treatment system is Chlorine injected into holding tank to Carbon Filter to Water softer to House

These are the numbers reported as above average:

Calcium = 51.5 mg/L
Lithium = 0.003 mg/L
Magnesium = 9.05 mg/L
Iron = 0.561 mg/L
Silica = 20.6 mg/L
Sodium = 11 mg/L
Strontium = 0.380 mg/L
Zinc = 0.009 mg/L

Alkalinity = 130 mg/L
Hardness = 170 mg/L
pH = 7.6
Total Dissolved Solids = 180 mg/L
Turbidity = 0.6 NTU
Chloride = 9.1 mg?/L
Fluoride = 0.6 mg/L

I was initially concerned about Coliform and E.coli (which were absent in the sample) and Sulfur (which I could smell) but I don't see "Sulfur" in the test report. It does say "Sulfate = ND". Is Sulfate and Sulfur the same thing?

 

[Reach4]

Is Sulfate and Sulfur the same thing?

Nice water, Your water could have probably been handled without the chlorine, but with the chlorine and backwashing activated carbon filter, that should get rid of the iron as well as incoming H2S. If your water from the well has a sulfur smell, that should be taken out by your system.

Sulfate is one compound of sulfur. Some water reports give a number for Sulfur, total, by ICP, I expect that mostly reflects the sulfur in sulfates. Elemental sulfur is a solid, and there is an iron+sulfer that is a solid. Those would get filtered out by your backwashing filter.


I suggest you get a sensitive chlorine test paper. Make sure the chlorine is OK (2 or 3 ppm maybe) into the carbon filter, and near zero out of the carbon filter. If the water coming out starts showing chlorine, you should plan on changing out your coconut activated carbon.

You would benefit from a softener. You might not run softened water to your cold tap in the kitchen to make it handy to drink your free mineral water.

I don't think common systems will take out sulfate. Sulfate won't hurt you. Sulfate does not smell. Sulfate is a sulfur compound that can turn into H2S (hydrogen sulfide) in your water heater in a reaction involving the anode. If your hot water smells, there are actions you can take.

The silica can give spotting on glass that you cannot wash off. Your level is fairly low. I still would spray distilled water on your eyeglasses and windows rather than letting your well water sit.

I don't think you need a lab test on your indoor water. I am not a pro.

http://dwb.unl.edu/Teacher/NSF/C01/C01Links/www.goodwaterco.com/comprob.htm can explain some of your numbers. No worries in your numbers that you posted.