Do I need CRS at all?

[Scroogemonster]

Just got an e-mail from United Utilities reagrding alkalinity. It reads:

Water Quality
Thank you for your email of 9 February 2010.
The Alkalinity as CaCo3 for the previous 12 month period in your area is 24.9 mg/l (parts per million). 1 mg as CaCO3/L = 0.61 mg as HCO3/L.
I hope this information is helpful to you.

Are their figures for HCO3 correct? I thought you divide the HCO3 by 1.22 to get the CaCO3 figure. Surely that makes it 0.5mg as CaCO3/L = 0.61 mg as HCO3/L.

Just tried DaaB's (as he was then!) alkalinity testing kit and got a figure of 36mg/L
Do I need to bother with CRS for my brewing liquor

[nobby]

CRS is for hard water and yours is soft. So no you dont need it at all. Brewpac DLS might be an option. Take a look at this link

http://www.brupaks.com/water%20treatment.htm

[Scroogemonster]

Cheers Daab (oops I mean Chris-x1) Am I right about their HCO3 ratio figure being wrong?
The akalinity kit worked a treat. 2mls of 1/40 CRS turned the water from slight orange to slightly pink. I worked out I'd need to add 1.55 mls of conc CRS to 31L of brewing liqour for my first AG. Hardly worth bothering as you said.
United Utilities Calcium figure is between 10 (min) to 40(max) for the past 12 months. I'll do as you say with regards the gypsum in the mash and the boil.
Thanks mate
Kevin