The Importance of Water Treatment

Water quality is a major factor affecting the function, reliability and life of your commercial kitchen equipment. Unseen contaminants can create serious issues with the taste, odor and appearance of your food, and the performance of your equipment.

• Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) – This is the hard scale that gets left behind when water evaporates. You’ll see it as a film coating whatever it contacts and it is the reason everything from coffee makers to Combi Ovens need to be cleaned.
• Alkalinity/pH – Water should be neither too alkaline or too acidic. Due to public water treatment requirements, most tap water is too alkaline which will increase the lime-scale build-up
• Silica – This hard, glassy substance makes up another aspect of your water’s quality. Found in most water, but quite high in the midwestern US, it adds to the lime-scale build-up.
• Sulfates & Chlorides – These substances are corrosive and they are common substances that are dissolved in tap water. Sulfates and Chlorides will attack the stainless steel liner of your new oven and the oven racks.
• Chlorine & Cloromines – These disinfectants are added to public water systems to prevent water-borne disease and they are particularly corrosive to even the most protected stainless steel.

By treating your water to meet foodservice operations standards, you are ensuring that your food will taste the way you want it to, while extending the life of your cooking equipment. Plus by reducing scale buildup you decrease the frequency of deliming, saving on the cost of deliming agent.