What is a Base Demand Test?

A base demand test is a way to measure base demand, which is the amount of an alkaline substance required to increase the pH level of a body of water.  As only a test sample of water is used, the base demand test results are used to help measure the desired amount of material to add to the water.  As alkalinity increases, more base demand reagent is required to adjust the water sample color to a color chart representing the ideal pH level.

Titrating the water sample with the base demand reagent is the primary way to conduct a base demand test to swimming pool water.  Drops of the reagent are added until the water sample color changes, with the number of drops added indicating the amount of alkaline material required, such as soda ash (sodium carbonate).  Base demand tests area also useful when pool water pH is thought to be very low.  Once the water is tested and adjusted with a pH increaser, then a more accurate pH test of the swimming pool water can be accomplished.

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